Deco uncertain for North Korea
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Cape Town - The pressure will be on Cristiano Ronaldo to start producing goals when Portugal meets North Korea on Monday, although he might be without Deco to feed him passes.
The Chelsea midfielder missed the open part of the pre-match training at Cape Town Stadium following reports he hurt his left hip during training on Friday.
Portugal will be looking for a big win, seeking to get a least one foot into the second round ahead of the last first-round game against Brazil next Friday.
Brazil took the lead in the group after beating North Korea 2-1, while Ronaldo had a flat game against Ivory Coast which ended in a draw.
It immediately piled the pressure on Portugal.
"We know we can improve. Things will be different on Monday," said striker Liedson. "You're always nervous in the first World Cup game. We'll be calmer in the second one."
Reclusive North Korea played with great composure against Brazil, before succumbing. Coach Kim Jong Hun said the team had gained confidence from the match against Brazil, despite the loss.
The North Koreans are only looking in one direction to see Portugal's threat - Cristiano Ronaldo.
Midfielder An Yong Hak said the clash with the Portuguese will be tough because "the whole world knows Ronaldo is the best player in the world."
Several players at the World Cup are hoping to strengthen their claims to being the world's best. So far, only Argentina's Lionel Messi's has lived up to the billing. Like with England's Wayne Rooney, the jury is still out on Real Madrid's Ronaldo.
After rifling one ball onto the post from long range against Ivory Coast early on, he was near invisible for the rest of the game. His most notable contribution otherwise was a yellow card. The Portuguese federation appealed the card, arguing it was unfair, but FIFA rejected it. One more yellow on Monday and Ronaldo will automatically miss the Brazil game.
Ronaldo has the eyes of his country and the world on him. The Real Madrid forward hasn't found the net for his country in a competitive game since the 2008 European Championship.
"Of course I want everyone, including Cristiano, to score. But the most important thing is a victory. It doesn't matter who puts the ball in the net," said Portugal Carlos Queiroz.
The North Koreans expect the world from Ronaldo. Striker Jong Tae Se compared Ronaldo favorably with Eusebio, whose four goals in the 1966 5-3 quarterfinal win ended North Korea's fairytale run.
"Ronaldo is better than Eusebio," he said. "He is a more skillful player both tactically and technically."
That remarkable game continues to resonate as one of the greatest games ever in football's premier tournament.
Both Portugal and North Korea made their debuts on soccer's biggest stage that year, and their standout performances in England have endured in national lore. North Korea upset Italy 1-0 at the tournament, becoming the first team from Asia to advance to the quarterfinals. Portugal unexpectedly got as far as the semifinals.
By the 23rd minute of that match, North Korea, as much an unknown team then as it is in South Africa, was leading 3-0. Four goals in just over 30 minutes by Eusebio set the Portuguese on the path to an incredible comeback and guaranteed their place in soccer history.
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