June 21: The Daily World Cup Wrap

We waved goodbye to four more teams today. Angola provided plenty of entertainment, and did well to keep their hopes of qualification alive until so late in the day. Iran will be disappointed with their showing. They got a fairly easy draw and had hoped this would be their breakout year, but go home winless. The much anticipated Netherlands vs Argentina game was an unexpected snoozathon, while the seemingly pointless game between Serbia & Montenegro and Ivory Coast, two teams with planes tickets already booked, was fantastic entertainment. Ivory Coast will be particularly missed, but somehow I doubt this is the last we’ll hear from them.

Daily Wrap Awards:

Top Man: Boubacar Barry. Because he couldn’t watch.

Top Team: Ivory Coast. Well deserved win.

Top Goal: Maniche’s for Portugal. Perfect run, perfect pass, perfect finish.

Bit of Skill: Nikola Zigic’s first touch for his Serbia & Montenegro goal.

Saw That Coming: Ivory Coast finally getting a win.

But Not That: Argentina and Holland’s bore draw

Iran vs Angola | LiveBlog | Iran World Cup Gear, Angola World Cup Gear

Iran 1 (Bakhtiarizadeh 75)
Angola 1 (Flavio 60)

With Mexico losing, Angola could have qualified from Group D with a decent sized win. It looked possible when Flavio headed home Angola’s first World Cup goal after 60 minutes, but they couldn’t find a second. Iran equalised in the 75th minute when Zandi headed a corner past Ricardo.

No fairytale ending then, but Angola did themselves proud at this World Cup, with two draws against good opposition (Mexico and Iran).

Video highlights here.

Fan Photo:

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• Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to enter our photo and video contest. Thanks to Umbro and Subside Sports for providing the prizes.
• Want to discuss todays action? Go to the Iran or Angola team pages.

Portugal vs Mexico | LiveBlog | Portugal World Cup Gear, Mexico World Cup Gear

Portugal 2 (Maniche 6, Simao [pen]24)
Mexico 1 (Fonseca 29)

Portugal were through, and so rested five of their yellow card carrying big names. Mexico had to avoid defeat to guarantee qualification, but found Portugal’s second string too tough. Maniche scored with perfectly timed run after only 5 minutes and doubled their lead with a Simao penalty after the inexplicably awful Marquez handled a cross. Fonseca pulled one back for Mexico after 29 minutes and an entertaining second half looked likely.

Unfortunately things went a bit flat. Omar Bravo livened things up by striking a 57th minute penalty high, wide and not particularly handsome, but it finished 2-1. Luckily for Mexico that was enough to clinch second place in Group D.

Video highlights here

Fan Photos: Portugal and Mexico fans…

• Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to enter our photo and video contest. Thanks to Umbro and Subside Sports for providing the prizes.
• Want to discuss todays action? Go to the Portugal or Mexico team pages. .
• Buy World Cup tickets to Portugal and Mexico’s next matches.

Argentina vs Netherlands | LiveBlog | Argentina World Cup Gear, Netherlands World Cup Gear

Argentina 0
Netherlands 0

Neither team seemed to care about topping Group C, and what should have been THE game of the first round in the expected Group of Death was played out like a friendly. Both sides rested big names like Robben and Crespo, though we at least got to see Leo Messi have a full run out. Othewise, pretty dull. Argentina finish top of Group C with a superior goal difference thanks to the thrashing they gave Serbia & Montenegro.

Video highlights here.

Fan Photo:

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• Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to enter our photo and video contest. Thanks to Umbro and Subside Sports for providing the prizes.
• Want to discuss todays action? Go to the Argentina or Netherlands team pages.
• Buy World Cup tickets to Argentina and Holland’s next matches.

Serbia & Montenegro vs Ivory Coast | LiveBlog | Serbia & Montenegro World Cup Gear, Ivory Coast World Cup Gear

Serbia & Montenegro 2 (Zigic 10, Ilic 20)
Ivory Coast 3 (Dindane [pen] 37, 67, Kalou [pen] 86)

Though both teams were already out, neither wanted to go home without a win, and this turned out to be the best game of the day. Two down after 20 minutes, Ivory Coast mounted an enthralling comeback without suspened captain Didier Drogba. Aruna Dindane had to take his 37th minute penalty twice for the Ivorians, but held his nerve, then equalised with his head in the 67th.

In the 86th minute, Bonaventure Kalou’s shot was handled and he calmly stepped up to take the penalty himself. Ivory Coast keeper Boubacar Barry was so nervous he couldn’t look, but knew Kalou had scored when the crowd went wild.

Not a glorious end to Serbia & Montenegro, who will now split into two seperate entities, but at least made a better impression than against Argentina, which would have been a terrible epitaph. Even better, we don’t have to look at their dreadful jerseys anymore.

Video highlights here.

Fan Photo:

…will appear later…

• Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to enter our photo and video contest. Thanks to Umbro and Subside Sports for providing the prizes.
• Want to discuss todays action? Go to the or team pages. .

Have a look the final group C and D tables.