World Cup: Brazil qualifies for second round with 3-1 rout of Ivory Coast
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Luis Fabiano scored a pair of goals and Elano added another as Brazil beat Ivory Coast, 3-1, on Sunday in Johannesburg, South Africa, to secure a spot in the second round of the World Cup with one match to spare in Group G.
Fabiano scored his first goal in six matches for Brazil with a powerful right-footed shot in the 25th minute after a perfect pass by Kaka between defenders. He jumped over defender Kolo Toure before firing into the top of the net from a difficult angle.
Fabiano added to the lead in the 50th with his left foot from near the penalty spot after beating two defenders inside the area. Replays appeared to show him handling the ball before scoring.
Elano scored Brazil’s third goal in the 62nd after another setup by Kaka. Elano hurt his right shin a little later and left the field on a stretcher.
Kaka received two yellow cards late in the game and will be suspended for Brazil’s next match, against Portugal. Kaka got into an altercation with Kader Keita near the end of the match.
Didier Drogba, playing from the start for the first time after breaking his right arm in a warmup game, scored the lone goal for Ivory Coast with a header in the 79th.
The victory gives Brazil six points from two matches, and left the Africans with one point and in difficult position to advance from the group stage. Portugal and North Korea play Monday in Cape Town.
It was a physical match at Soccer City, with hard fouls from both sides and players confronting each other at times. Brazil had plenty of chances to scores more, but mistakes on the final pass cost it on a few occasions.
Brazil has won all six matches it played against African nations at the World Cup. The last was 3-0 over Ghana in the round of 16 of the 2006 tournament in Germany. Drogba’s goal was the first Brazil conceded to African nations in soccer’s biggest showcase.
Fabiano hadn’t scored in more than nine months for Brazil since connecting twice in a victory against Argentina last September in a World Cup qualifier.
Kaka, coming off a season plagued by injuries, again was far from his best, but showed his poise on Sunday by setting up Fabiano’s first-half goal and Elano’s third in front of 84,455 fans.
Brazil made some uncharacteristic passing mistakes in the beginning and was not able to take control of the match, allowing the Ivorians to threaten on counterattacks and free kicks. Yet Ivory Coast put nearly all its players on defense when Brazil held possession, leaving Drogba alone up front. The striker is playing with a special protective cast approved by FIFA.
--Associated Press