Shooting the Breeze: World Cup 2010 Day 10 - Group G - Brazil vs Ivory Coast
3-1. A red card for Kaka marred the end of a controversial match in which Brazil had comfortably outplayed Ivory Coast and qualified from Group G.
A solid Brazil performance saw Didier Drogba starved of service for most of the night but the Africans were below par for much of the match. It seemed that goals for Brazil were inevitable after their stranglehold on the match was soon converted into goals.
Kaka released Luis Fabiano down the right to score his first goal of the year midway through the first half in a move highly reminiscent of Landon Donovan's goal from the right side.
Luis Fabiano's second goal had more than a hint of handball, twice, after 50 minutes as he clipped the ball over a couple of defenders before hitting a left foot volley into the back of the net.
Kaka had done very little in the match but he laid on the goal that effectively sealed it for Brazil when Elano ghosted in and struck Brazil's third. The former Manchester City midfielder held up his shin guards in celebration. Minutes later Elano had to go off injured when Cheik Tiote's studs raked his shins in a tackle.
It was too little too late for Ivory Coast who tried to improve their goals scored column with a move which was little more than a consolation.
With little over 10 minutes to go, Gervinho ran half the length of the pitch, pulled it back for Yaya Toure to cross to Didier Drogba, whose flicked header was diverted into the back of the net after he beat the offside trap.
The game was niggly after that, with one major controversial moment close to full time when Kaka was shown a second yellow after Keita had accidentally run into the Brazilian superstar off the ball and then went down as though he had been deliberately attacked off the ball. The referee could not possibly have seen it but still sent the stunned Brazilian off after lengthy scenes of angry gesticulation from the players on the pitch.
