Portugal's striker Hugo Almeida (L) fights for the ball with North Korea's defender Ri Jun-Il. - AFP Photo
CAPE TOWN: A merciless Portugal tore North Korea to shreds in a 7-0 rout on Monday, putting them within reach of the knockout rounds and eliminating the Asian nation from the World Cup.
With Brazil already qualified from Group G, Portugal now have four points to Ivory Coast’s one, leaving Didier Drogba’s team with only an outside chance of making the round of 16.
North Korea have lost both their games and will head home after their last match against the Africans.
A Raul Meireles strike put Portugal in front with the Porto midfielder pouncing in the 29th minute. But it wasn’t all one-way traffic, with North Korea creating their own chances as they powered forward on the counter-attack.
The game changed though with three quick second-half goals from Simao, Hugo Almeida and Tiago that left North Korea shellshocked before substitute Liedson banged in the fifth.
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo got the sixth, ending his two-year international goal drought, before Tiago made it seven.
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz made four changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Ivory Coast, with Tiago replacing the injured Deco and Simao, Almeida and Miguel in for Danny, Liedson and Paulo Ferreira.
The revamped team started brightly on a slippery pitch after persistent rain.
Ronaldo signalled his intentions by unleashing a long-range strike on two minutes that goalkeeper Ri Myong-Guk did well to collect.
Ricardo Carvalho also had an early chance, rattling the post with a header, as Portugal set about their task with vigour.
The opportunities were coming thick and fast as Portugal used wingers Simao on the right and Ronaldo on the left effectively.
North Korea finally got a shot at goal on 10 minutes with defender Cha Jong-Hyok whipping a 30 yard piledriver just past the upright.
As the rain returned, the Koreans were starting to look handy and far more aggressive than when they lost 2-1 to Brazil, surging forward to threaten the Portgual goal.
The Cholima were certainly not intimidated and could have taken a shock lead when captain Hong Yong-Jo’s shot was parried by Eduardo, only for Mun In-Guk to head the rebound over the bar.
The Portuguese came out after the break pushing hard for the second goal which inevitably came on 53 minutes with Meireles slicing open the Korean defence with a pass to Athletic Madrid’s Simao who slotted the ball past Ri.
North Korea were in disarray and let their guard down again three minutes later when Fabio Coentrao beat his man on the left and sent a lovely cross to Hugo Almeida who made no mistake with a powerful header.
Portugal were rampant and the fourth goal came soon after when Ronaldo picked out Tiago in the box and he clinically side-footed home before Liedson volleyed in the fifth with nine minutes left.
Ronaldo made the most of a lucky bobble to get the sixth in the 87th minute before Tiago rubbed salt in the Korean wounds with a late deft header.
STATS:
First half:1, Portugal, Raul Meireles 1, 29th minute.
Second half:2, Portugal, Simao 1, 53rd. 3, Portugal, Hugo Almeida 1, 56th. 4, Portugal, Tiago 1, 60th. 5, Portugal, Liedson 1, 81st. 6, Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo 1, 87th. 7, Portugal, Tiago 2, 89th.
Shots:Portugal 26, North Korea 14.
Shots On Goal:Portugal 11, North Korea 3.
Yellow Cards:Portugal, Pedro Mendes, 38th; Hugo Almeida, 70th. North Korea, Chol-Jin Pak, 32nd; Yong Jo Hong, 47th.
Offsides:Portugal 3, North Korea 3.
Fouls Committed:Portugal 15, North Korea 4.
Fouls Against:Portugal 4, North Korea 15.
Corner Kicks:Portugal 5, North Korea 1.
Referee:Pablo Pozo, Chile. Linesmen:Patricio Basualto, Chile; Francisco Mondria, Chile.
Lineups:
Portugal: Eduardo; Miguel, Ricardo Carvalho, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao; Tiago, Pedro Mendes, Raul Meireles (Miguel Veloso, 70th), Simao (Duda, 74th); Hugo Almeida (Liedson, 77th), Cristiano Ronaldo.
North Korea: Myong-Guk Ri; Jong-Hyok Cha (Song-Chol Nam, 75th), Chol-Jin Pak, Jun-Il Ri, Kwang-Chon Ri, Yun Nam Ji; In-Guk Mun (Yong Jun Kim, 59th), Yong-Hak An, Nam Choi Pak Snr (Kum-Il Kim, 59th); Yong Jo Hong, Tae-Se Jong.
