Portugal and Ivory Coast played out an insipid World Cup Group G opener as the encounter in Port Elizabeth ended in a goalless draw.
Ronaldo hits woodwork as Drogba only plays 25 minutes
Portugal and Ivory Coast played out a rather insipid 2010 World Cup Group G opener as the encounter in Port Elizabeth ended in a goalless draw.
The Ivorians were arguably the better side throughout in a game lacking quality and ambition but it was Portugal who came the closest to winning the match when Cristiano Ronaldo hit the woodwork in the first half.
The major team news was that influential Ivorian striker Didier Drogba had to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench with manager Sven Goran Eriksson seemingly reluctant to take a risk on the Chelsea player's recently broken arm, despite a protective cast. Both sides opted for a 4-3-3 system.
The game began with a swifter tempo than onlookers have been subjected to at the 2010 World Cup thus far. Portugal aimed to dance through early on before an athletic Ivory Coast side attempted to impose themselves on the encounter with the majority of their attacking play coming down the right flank.
Excitement increased around the Port Elizabeth Stadium whenever the world's most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo picked up possession. And the £80million man drew two fouls within the first 10 minutes, the second of which resulted in an arguably harsh yellow card for Didier Zokora, who was penalised for making very little contact with Ronaldo.
Woodwork
The world-class Ronaldo saw the resulting free-kick hammer into a wall, but made amends just moments later when he unleashed a typically thunderous effort from 35 yards. Indeed, the Jabulani ball swerved with vicious pace as it left Ronaldo's boot only to crack back off the post and away, with keeper Boubacar Barry a helpless spectator.
Eriksson's men responded with two pot-shots of their own. First, Siaka Tiene hit a curling yet rather weak free-kick wide of goalkeeper Eduardo's goal. Then, on 17 minutes, Cheik Tiote opened up his body to bend a shot over the crossbar from 20 yards out. Again, though, Ricardo had the strike well covered.
Ronaldo continued to be in the thick of the action when in the 20th minute he and Guy Demel both received bookings after an altercation between the pair. Referee Jorge Larrionda had waved play on following a challenge from the latter on the former, resulting in an aggressive exchange of views and a yellow apiece.
Pedro Mendes was then very fortunate not to be carded for a nasty studs-up rake down the right leg of Emmanuel Eboue, before up the other end Liedson was squeezed out of matters by Tiene, who had just chopped down Ronaldo in a very feisty and often cynical first period.
Drogba was not brought on at the interval despite looking miffed during his time on the bench in the first half. Nonetheless, the Ivorians started the second 45 minutes the brighter, with the impressive Gervinho striking across goal, forcing Eduardo to flick the ball out for a corner.
And the Elephants proceeded to be the most attacking force, although there was hardly much competition from the Portuguese who continued to rely on Ronaldo for inspiration, as Salomon Kalou first almost got his head on a cross before hitting a low and central shot straight at Eduardo.
Drogba
Portugal, who opted to bring on winger Simao for the ineffective Danny, created their first attack since the break when Deco dug out a cross from the right on 58 minutes to pick out Liedson, who had to adjust to divert what was ultimately a tame header into the hands of Barry.
On 65 minutes, the biggest cheer of the night erupted around the stadium as Drogba entered the fray in place of Kalou, but not before Portugal replaced the indifferent Deco with Tiago to not quite the same fanfare.
A flurry of changes then sandwiched a dragged shot wide by Raul Meireles while in injury-time Drogba was finally given some ammunition, but the powerful attacker could only whip an effort across goal, with no team-mate there to tap into an empty net.
Yet there was to be no firework finish to what was a drizzly affair, with both countries, in particular Portugal, as has been the overriding theme in South Africa to date, preferring to settle for a draw in their opening group encounter, rather than risk pushing for three points.
