Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal controls the ball during a training session at the Green Point stadium in Cape Town. - AFP Photo

Portugal plan all-out attack vs North Korea

Portugal need to switch to attack mode against North Korea on Monday to get the big win they may need to open the door to the World Cup second round.

With Portugal having drawn their Group G opener against Ivory Coast, and with Brazil still to come, second place in the group was always likely to be decided on goal difference.

But North Korea’s battling, well-organised display in their 2-1 loss to the five-times champions has merely made the 2006 runners-up focus even more on finding a way to goal.

“The first game is one in which the team takes fewer risks because naturally they play with an eye on what comes ahead,” said Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz.

“In the second game everything will be much more clear as there is no room to wait. We have to start making things happen and not waiting for them to happen. We have to put our cards on the table and attack.”

Portugal fans and many neutrals will hope a more attacking approach provides the stage for Cristiano Ronaldo to thrive.

The world’s most expensive player has not scored a competitive international goal for almost two years, although he went close against Ivory Coast when he smacked a long-range shot against a post.

APPEAL REJECTED

FIFA rejected Portugal’s appeal against the yellow card he got in the first game so he will have to keep his cool in what is likely to be 90 minutes of close attention to avoid another booking and a ban that would rule him out of the Brazil game.

Queiroz is likely to recall Simao Sabrosa after wide man Danny failed to reproduce his lively in recent friendlies.

However, there is concern that Deco may not be fit to start after injuring his hip in training.

It has been an eventful week for the midfielder who was replaced by Tiago after 62 minutes of the opener, criticised the manager for his tactics and then had to apologise.

North Korea earned widespread praise for their work ethic, discipline and technical ability against Brazil and Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles said he expected more of the same.

For North Korea, the prospect of playing Portugal inevitably brings up discussion of the 1966 World Cup.

Rank outsiders, the Asians had already stunned Italy in the group phase when they raced into a 3-0 lead over Eusebio’s talented Portugal team in the quarter-finals.

The Portuguese stormed back to win 5-3 and, until last week, that was the last the World Cup saw of North Korea.

In truth, other than their 90 minutes at Ellis Park, there has not been much more seen of them since they returned.

Withdrawn and secretive, little is know of how the team or management reacted to an encouraging opening performance.

CHILE SEEK TO DODGE SWISS SLIP UP

The thought of Chile against Switzerland as a top-of-the-table clash in the same group as World Cup favourites Spain would have been inconceivable only a few days ago.

But both teams are in the unlikely position of joint Group H leaders after the Swiss stunned the Spaniards 1-0 and Chile beat Honduras by the same scoreline to seal their first win at a World Cup in 48 years.

Although far from a mouth-watering matchup, Monday’s encounter has taken on added significance that might just be enough to wake sleepy Port Elizabeth from its World Cup snooze.

The defeats for Spain and Honduras, who meet later on Monday in Johannesburg, means a win for either Switzerland or Chile would give them one foot in the next round. The winning side may be able to advance with a defeat in their final game.

Chile’s last win in the finals until their 1-0 win over Honduras had come in the 3rd/4th place playoff as hosts in 1962.

They had since qualified for the World Cup four times but failed to win any group matches.

Both sides have vowed not to get ahead of themselves and expect the match to be a physical encounter fought more in the air than on the ground.

Chile’s players will try to break down a tight Swiss defence and a packed midfield and avoid falling into the same trap as Spain, who dominated their match but lost out to a goal against the run of play.

SWISS SPOILERS

Chile’s leading striker Humberto Suazo is likely to return from a hamstring injury to lead a three-man attack. Suazo has played only 45 minutes of competitive soccer since late April and he would likely replace playmaker Jorge Valdivia.

Doubts remain over whether Valdivia is fit to play after he picked up a minor injury against Honduras. Team officials expect him to recover, although Valdivia’s wife said otherwise and told Chilean television he would likely miss Monday’s game.

Switzerland’s coach Ottmar Hitzfeld believes his team are the underdogs against Chile, a match he said would be mentally tougher than their win over Spain.

He described Chile’s attack-minded players as “fantastic” and said his team would defend tightly and restrict the movement of a free-flowing side that finished ahead of strongly favoured Argentina in qualifying.

“We have to play with a cool head and not give Chile chances,” Hitzfeld said. “If we lose our heads, we don’t stand a chance.”

Striker Alex Frei and midfielder Valon Behrami, who missed the first game due to injuries, have resumed training and were both fully fit, although it was not certain top striker Frei would start in the game,” he said.

SPAIN LOOKING TO REASSER CREDENTIALS

Anything less than a win for Spain against Honduras on Monday could see one of the pre-tournament favorites making an ignominious early exit from the World Cup.

The shock 1-0 loss to Switzerland in its opening game was only the second defeat for Spain in 49 matches and means that the team cannot afford to slip up again in its remaining two Group H fixtures.

The 2008 European champions play Honduras at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park. Both teams lost their opening games 1-0 and trail Switzerland and Chile by three points following the first round of matches.

Spain striker Fernando Torres is confident that the team’s bad day has passed and that it will not be leaving the World Cup early like many Spanish sides have done in the past.

The 26-year-old Liverpool striker will be hoping he gets the nod from coach Vicente del Bosque to start the match, after coming on as a substitute in the game against Switzerland.

“I’ve been training for more than two weeks with my teammates and little by little I’ve forgotten about the injury,” said Torres, who is recovering from surgery on his right knee in April. “It’s up to the coach. He decides.”

Alongside forward David Villa, Torres could provide the extra punch Spain was lacking against the Swiss. Despite having the bulk of the possession, Spain lacked a cutting edge against a massed Swiss defense.

Unsurprisingly, Spain has encountered a torrent of criticism following the Swiss defeat, much of it directed at the coach.

Defender Gerard Pique said Fabregas could provide what the Spanish were lacking.

“A lot of touch, the ability to get into the area and goals,” Pique said. “If the coach opts for him, he’ll help us very much.”

Since the defeat, the Spanish players have insisted there will be no change to the team’s possession-based, quick-touch game regardless of who starts.

Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda is expecting the full force of a Spanish backlash.

“We should not be distracted by the (Swiss) result,” Rueda said. “As one of the favorites and having lost their first game, Spain will be even more determined.”

Rueda, who served a touchline ban in the match against Chile after having been sent off in Honduras’ last qualifier against El Salvador, will be hoping that his main striker David Suazo has fully recovered from right thigh injury to be able to play a part in the match against Spain.

Though ultimately overwhelmed by Chile in the 1-0 defeat, Honduras showed attacking verve at stages during the match.

Torres said Spain will not be taking the Central American team lightly.