<p style="text-align: center;">(<strong>Results:</strong> PORTUGAL 7-0 KOREA DPR, CHILE 1-0 SWITZERLAND, SPAIN 2-0 HONDURAS)</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">If Brazil had out-played the Africans, North Korea and Honduras were schooled by their more illustrious opponents - Portugal and Spain. The Europeans, after drawing flak for their performances thus far, raised their game to mesmerizing heights and not even a trigger-happy referee could rob the day of its footballing glory.</p> <strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">'Serial Killers' of the day: Portugal</span></em></strong> When North Korea took the field against Portugal, they wanted to avenge the heartbreak that was England 1966, when the Asians were beaten 5-3, after leading 3-0 in the quarter-finals. Now when they qualify for India'50, they will be yearning to avenge this brutal massacre. Portugal pumped in six second half goals, in what maybe regarded as the most destructive forty-five minutes in a World Cup. The destruction caused by the relentless Portuguese has left us, at TheHardTackle, fearing for the safety of the North Koreans. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Serial Killers"]<a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/football-portugal-north/image/9173907?term=portugal" target="_blank"><img title="Football - Portugal v North Korea FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9173907/football-portugal-north/football-portugal-north.jpg?size=500&imageId=9173907" border="0" alt="June 21, 2010 - South Africa - Football - Portugal v North Korea FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 - Group G - Green Point Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - 21/6/10..Hugo Almeida (C) celebrates after scoring Portugal's third goal." width="500" height="403" /></a>[/caption] <p style="text-align: left;"><strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">'Poker-dealer' of the day: K Al Ghamdi</span></em></strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">The referee in the Chile v Switzerland game, saw this match as a perfect backdrop to resume his erstwhile job as a poker-dealer and dealt cards with such ferocity that it left even Las Vegas overwhelmed. It's been reported that the biggest casinos in the world are vying for his signature, after seeing him dish out nine yellow and one red card in the game.</p> [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Wrong place at the right time?"]<a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/south-africa-port/image/9174201?term=chile+switzerland" target="_blank"><img title="SOUTH AFRICA-PORT ELIZABETH-2010 FIFA WORLD CUP-GROUP H-CHILE VS SWITZERLAND" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9174201/south-africa-port/south-africa-port.jpg?size=500&imageId=9174201" border="0" alt="PORT ELIZABETH, June 22, 2010 Referee Al Ghamdi of Saudi Arabia flashes the yellow card to Matias Fernandez of Chile during the 2010 World Cup group H soccer match between Chile and Switzerland at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, June 21, 2010. Chile won 1-0." width="500" height="315" /></a>[/caption] <strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;"> </span></em></strong> <strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">'Florent Malouda' Hairstyle of the day: Mario Martinez (Honduras)</span></em></strong> Malouda has some competition. Is it difficult for you to fathom, yes? Mario Martinez has emerged as such a star attraction (at least for the bees, due to his flower-esque locks) that the Chelsea man is having sleepless nights; and no, Domenech is not the reason. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Awesomeness!"]<a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/sports-news-may-2010/image/8922983?term=martinez+honduras" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px;" title="Sports News - May 26, 2010" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/8922983/sports-news-may-2010/sports-news-may-2010.jpg?size=500&imageId=8922983" border="0" alt="May 26, 2010 - 05959489 date 26 05 2010 Copyright imago GEPA Pictures Football FIFA World Cup 2010 Training Hon Hermagor Austria 26 May 10 Football FIFA World Cup 2010 in Preliminary reports Preparations Soccer Camps Carinthia Training camps National team Honduras Picture shows Walter Martinez Hon PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUTxSUIxITA men Football World Cup Preparations National team Training camps Training Portrait Vdig 2010 horizontal premiumd." width="500" height="390" /></a>[/caption] <p style="text-align: left;"></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">'Crossbar breaker' of the day: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)</span></em></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">What does Cristiano have against the poor crossbar? Was the net fearing him not enough that he has started his crusade against the goal structure? After hitting the post in the game against the Ivory Coast, the Portugal captain struck the crossbar with such ferocity that one could see blood come out of the rain-soaked ball! Luckily for the medical staff, the goalkeeper was not in the way. Often blamed for his selfish play, the most expensive player in the world was at his selfless best - creating for his team-mates and celebrating with them in happiness. He himself scored when the ball refused to let go off him; it embraced his head, and when the magician realized that he has unintentionally performed a trick, he calmly obliged his beloved, by slotting it past the hapless keeper, thereby ending his goal-drought for the national team.</p> [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The villains trying to separate the much-in-love couple!"]<a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/sports-news-june-2010/image/9174171?term=ronaldo" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px;" title="Sports News - June 21, 2010" src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9174171/sports-news-june-2010/sports-news-june-2010.jpg?size=500&imageId=9174171" border="0" alt="June 21, 2010 - 06067156 date 21 06 2010 Copyright imago Color Sports Football 2010 FIFA World Cup Portugal vs North Korea Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal in Action AT Green Point Stage Cape Town PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxPOLxUSAxONLY Cape Town Cape Town men Football World Cup National team international match Action shot Vdig xmk 2010 horizontal Highlight premiumd." width="500" height="360" /></a>[/caption] <p style="text-align: center;"></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">Blessing of the day: Deco's injury</span></em></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Carlos Quiroz was in a fix - Deco was fit and he had to play him. He prayed to the gods for guidance and they obliged. Deco was ruled out of the match with a hip injury and his replacement was Tiago, who has since then been bestowed with the title 'Enemy of the State' by Korea DPR, after his role in dismantling their national team.</p> [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Deco - Brazilian afterall?"]<a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/portugal-korea-dpr/image/9174418?term=deco" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px;" title="Portugal vs Korea DPR" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9174418/portugal-korea-dpr/portugal-korea-dpr.jpg?size=500&imageId=9174418" border="0" alt="June 21, 2010 - Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa - epa02214857 Portugal's players, Ricardo Costa, (L) Danny and Deco (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2010 group G preliminary round match between Portugal and North Korea at the Green Point stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, 21 June 2010." width="500" height="333" /></a>[/caption] <p style="text-align: center;"></p> <strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">Messiah of the day: David Villa (Spain)</span></em></strong> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;">Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Barcelona's newest poster boy is one hell of a player. If ever there was a doubt about his big-match credentials, they were put to rest last night. Spain needed an inspiration, they needed a finisher to get something out of the plethora of chances they create. David Villa gave them arguably the <em>goal of the tournament, </em>when he dodged defenders, twisted, turned and re-established the European Champions as strong title-contenders. No jokes here!</span></p> [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="David Villa - Captain of the Spanish Armada"]<a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/spain-david-villa-bottom/image/9175141?term=spain+honduras" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px;" title="Spain's David Villa (bottom) scores a goal past Honduras' Maynor Figueroa during a 2010 World Cup Group H match at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg" src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9175141/spain-david-villa-bottom/spain-david-villa-bottom.jpg?size=500&imageId=9175141" border="0" alt="Spain's David Villa scores a goal past Honduras' Maynor Figueroa during a 2010 World Cup Group H match at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg June 21, 2010. REUTERS/Jerry Lampen (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP)" width="500" height="314" /></a>[/caption] <p style="text-align: center;"></p> <strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">Waste of the day: Half of Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg</span></em></strong> <span style="color: #000000;">You would have thought, it's Cesc Fabregas for spending 180 minutes on the bench, when he could have been doing what he does best - play football - but it's half the pitch that was used for Spain versus Honduras. Enough said. </span> [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Oh Cesc. Not playing a player of his quality is just wrong."]<a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/spain-cesc-fabregas/image/9060923?term=cesc+fabregas" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px;" title="Spain's Cesc Fabregas celebrates scoring against Poland during their friendly soccer match in Murcia" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9060923/spain-cesc-fabregas/spain-cesc-fabregas.jpg?size=500&imageId=9060923" border="0" alt="Spain's Cesc Fabregas celebrates scoring against Poland during their friendly soccer match in Murcia June 8, 2010. The 2010 World Cup kicks off on June 11. REUTERS/Juan Medina (SPAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP)" width="500" height="332" /></a>[/caption] <p style="text-align: center;"><script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"></script></p>