Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo had a chance to score early in the first half but came up empty, while injured Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba was a non-factor, as he entered the game only as a 66th minute substitute.
Player of the Game
Gervinho, Ivory Coast
Gervinho played 82 minutes, giving a strong offensive performance that kept Portugal’s defense on its heels.
Scoring Breakdown
While neither team was able to score, Ronaldo had the best shot for Portugal when he bounced one off the left post in the 11th minute. Ivory Coast created more scoring opportunities, with two shots on goal, compared to Portugal’s one.
Notes
Guy-Roland Demel brought Ronaldo to the ground with a sliding foul in the 21st minute. Referee Jorge Larrionda gave them both yellow cards for confronting each other afterward. … Drogba was cleared to play with a cast on his right arm, which he broke in a warmup match against Japan on June 4.
Next
Ivory Coast takes on Brazil on Sunday, June 20, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Portugal faces off against North Korea on Monday, June 21, at 7:30 a.m.
