Portugal rout N.Korea, France return to training

Portugal routed North Korea 7-0 in wet Cape Town on Monday to virtually clinch a World Cup second round place as France trained again after a one-day strike over expelled striker Nicolas Anelka.

The Portuguese scored thrice within eight minutes soon after half-time and just missed equalling the record winning margin of eight goals set by Germany against Saudi Arabia eight years ago.

The defeat eliminated North Korea from the competition and they will fly home after their final group match against Ivory Coast.

Cristiano Ronaldo was among the scorers with his first international goal in almost two years and Tiago (two), Raul Meireles, Simao, Hugo Almeida and Liedson also netted as the Koreans collapsed in the closing stages.

North Korea came to the World Cup for the first time in 44 years having conceded only seven goals in 16 Asian qualifiers and restricted five-time champions Brazil to a 2-1 victory in their opening Group G game.

Brazil and Portugal square off on Friday in Durban while Ivory Coast face North Korea at the same time needing a wide winning margin and a Brazilian victory to have any hope of qualifying on goal difference.

Eusebio, a native of Mozambique whose four goals turned a three-goal deficit into a 5-3 triumph for Portugal over North Korea in the 1966 quarter-finals, was among the Cape Town crowd.

A 21-man French squad jogged round a training ground in the Western Cape resort of Knysna ahead of a must-win Group A clash with fellow strugglers South Africa on Tuesday.

They refused to practice on Sunday in sympathy with Anelka, who was ordered to leave the camp after an expletive-laden dressing-room outburst against coach Raymond Domenech at half-time during a match against Mexico last week.

Title favourites Spain want maximum points against Honduras to get their challenge back on track after a shock loss to Switzerland, who face fellow first-match winners Chile.

Spain are World Cup favourites on the back of winning the European title two years ago, long unbeaten runs in competitive and friendly matches, and a line-up packed with Barcelona, Real Madrid and English Premiership stars.

But the seemingly routine task of defeating highly organised and motivated but limited Switzerland proved beyond the ‘Red Fury’ and an early second half Gelson Fernandes goal delivered the biggest shock so far in South Africa.

They cannot afford any more slips and will be grateful that Honduras are next up as the central Americans were lucky to escape with only a 1-0 defeat against Chile in their initial outing.

Spanish supporters can draw comfort from the number of chances created against the Swiss in Durban and the odds favour Fernando Torres, David Villa and company hitting the goal trail at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

A win for Chile or Switzerland in Port Elizabeth would bring the second round within sight and the Port Elizabeth game promises a battle of wits between the adventurous South Americans and more conservative Europeans.