North Korea 0 Ivory Coast 3

Scorers: Y.Toure (IVC), Romaric (IVC), Kalou (IVC)

Attendance: 34634

Yaya Toure and Romaric scored first-half goals while Salomon Kalou added one late on as Côte d'Ivoire rumbled over Korea DPR 3-0 in Nelspruit on Friday, but Portugal's 0-0 draw with Brazil ensured the elimination of the west Africans. With four points, the Elephants finish one behind the Portuguese in their second FIFA World Cup™, while Brazil top the group with seven and the Koreans go home after three defeats.

Going into the match knowing they needed to make up at least nine goals on the Portuguese, the Ivorians attacked from the start at a raucous Mbombela Stadium as Kader Keita forced a good save from Korea DPR goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk in the opening minute. The always-dynamic Gervinho then looked to have done enough to open the scoring in the 11th minute when he collected the ball on the byline and pulled it past the goalkeeper and across the face of an empty net, but no Ivorian was on hand to take advantage.

But the Elephants were ahead just three minutes later as full-back Arthur Boka's ball sliced through the defence and found Yaya Toure in space at the top of the area. The Barcelona man calmly brought it under control and curled a right-footed shot past the diving keeper. Midfielder Romaric ticked the outside of the post with a speculative shot shortly after and then doubled the lead in the 20th minute. Drogba made the goal with a fabulous bit of skill, holding off a defender, bringing the ball down and then smacking a shot off the underside of the bar. While appeals were made that the ball crossed the line, Romaric kept his concentration and coolly nodded the ball through a group of defenders.

When the Koreans threatened it was from the pace and industry of Japan-based striker Jong Tae Se on the counter or from free kicks, with captain Hong Yong Jo's curling effort in the 24th minute the best. But it was Côte d'Ivoire creating most of the opportunities, and Gervinho had two good ones before the half-time break. In the 38th minute, he broke onto a through-ball in the box but his shot skimmed the bar to his left with the goalkeeper at his mercy, and just before half-time, he could only loop his header from Drogba's cross at the goalkeeper.

The Asian side held onto the ball more in the second period, and Jong Tae Se again kept the desperate Elephants honest on the break with a low shot to Boubacar Barry's near post in the 51st minute. Drogba could have increased the Elephants' lead in the middle of the half with two headers but he failed to keep either on target.

Sven-Goran Eriksson brought on forwards Aruna Dindane and Salomon Kalou in the 64th minute in the quest for a bag-load more goals, but they left themselves more open at the back and Jong Tae Se had two good chances in 81st minute denied by desperate defending. Just a minute after that, Côte d'Ivoire found their third - just a consolation at that point - as Kalou managed to touch in Boka's cross ahead of the charging goalkeeper.