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    Friday, May 17, 2024

    World Cup roundup

    Portugal's Hugo Almeida (18) watches his shot get past North Korea goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk during Monday's Group C match in Cape Town, South Africa. Portugal won the match 7-0.

    Spain 2, Honduras 0

    Now that looked like a championship team.

    David Villa scored two goals as Spain got its World Cup pursuit back on track with a 2-0 victory over Honduras on Monday in Johannesburg.

    Villa beat three defenders in the 17th minute before goalkeeper Noel Valladares got a touch to the Spain striker's rising shot but not enough to keep it out.

    Villa scored his 40th international goal in the 51st when his shot from the edge of the area deflected off a defender to go over Valladares. But Villa missed a penalty kick in the 62nd at Ellis Park, sending it wide right.

    Spain has three points and can still win Group H with a victory over Chile, which earlier beat Switzerland 1-0 to lead with six points. Switzerland has three points and Honduras has zero.

    "We think this first group is very difficult and we have a tough game against Chile," Villa said. "Being world champions is a long way down the road, there's a long time to go, and many matches as well."

    Spain's win eased the disappointment of an opening 1-0 loss to the Swiss.

    "I think the other day we also (played well) but the result wasn't so good," Villa said.

    "We had a lot of possession a lot of chances we just didn't score."

    This time, Villa single-handedly took the pressure off Spain, the European champion and a favorite coming to South Africa, with a superb individual effort. He dribbled between Honduras players before cutting past Osman Chavez to send a right-footed shot into the far corner of the net as he slipped to the ground.

    Jesus Navas picked Villa out for the second goal, with the striker's shot glancing off Chavez into the top of the net.

    Villa's fifth career goal tied him with four Spain players as the country's leading scorer in World Cup play and moved him within four goals of Raul Gonzalez's record 44. But he shot No. 41 wide on a penalty kick in the 62nd after Navas was tripped inside the area.

    "Our loss to Switzerland is water under the bridge," Villa said. "Today, we played in the same style, we attacked with short passes and we had some very good chances."

    Portugal 7, North Korea 0

    Portugal revived its World Cup campaign with a dominating win over North Korea in Group G, eliminating the Asian team from the competition in Cape Town.

    Cristiano Ronaldo scored the sixth goal of the game, his first in a competitive match for the national team since the 2008 European Championship.

    Ronaldo also set up Tiago's first goal in the 60th. Tiago added another for the 2006 World Cup semifinalists in the 89th, while Raul Meireles, Simao Sabrosa, Hugo Almeida and Liedson also scored.

    "It was a great day for Portugal and Portuguese football," Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz said "The players are really happy with the way they played, the attitude for the game, the beautiful football, the beautiful goals."

    The win moves Portugal into second place in Group G with four points, two behind Brazil. The Ivory Coast has one point, and North Korea is out of the tournament after two straight losses.

    It was the most one-sided World Cup match since Germany routed Saudi Arabia 8-0 in 2002.

    North Korea had early chances, but were undone when Meireles latched on to a clever pass by Tiago and gave Portugal its first score of the tournament. The goal seemed to deflate the Koreans, while the Portuguese finally began to show some of the Latin flair that has made them an outside favorite to win their first championship.

    "Tactically speaking, we fell apart and we couldn't block their attacks," North Korea coach Kim Jong Hun said. "It was my fault for not playing the right strategy and that is why we conceded a lot of goals."

    "To score seven goals in a World Cup is not easy," said Ronaldo.

    "My teammates played very well."

    Chile 1, Switzerland 0

    Chile broke through the formerly impenetrable Swiss defense, and Mark Gonzalez's goal might be enough to get the South Americans into the second round of the World Cup.

    Substitute Gonzalez scored on a header in the 75th minute as Chile beat 10-man Switzerland in Port Elizabeth to move closer to a spot in the final 16.

    Before Chile scored, Switzerland set a World Cup record in the 69th minute by going 551 minutes without allowing a goal, breaking the mark of 550 held by Italy at the 1986 and 1990 tournaments. Chile has won both its games in Group H.

    "This is for my family and for all the people who have supported us in Chile," Gonzalez said. "This was a great moment for me and for our team."

    Gonzalez headed home a pass from fellow sub Esteban Paredes, who had gotten around the staunch Swiss defense and crossed to Gonzalez at the back post. Gonzalez's downward header beat goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.

    "We are in a good position, and we have one more game to prove ourselves even more," Gonzalez said of Friday's match against Spain at Pretoria.

    Switzerland played a man down since the 31st minute when midfielder Valone Behrami was sent off with a straight red card for rough play against Arturo Vidal. That ejection irked the Swiss.

    "For me, it was just an unbelievable decision," Behrami said. "There was small contact with my hands on his neck, and he went down like (he was hit with) an elbow. Everyone can make a mistake, but this mistake was very, very big for me because it's a dream to play in a World Cup."

    Vidal admitted he was surprised by the red card.

    "I felt his elbow on my neck," Vidal said. "It was a definite yellow card, but I wasn't expecting a send-off."

    The last goal the Swiss allowed came on July 2, 1994 when they were eliminated 3-0 by Spain in the second round. Aitor Begiristain scored from a penalty kick in the 87th minute 16 years ago.

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