Portugal, Ivory Coast scoreless after 30 minutes in physical World Cup match

Portugal, Ivory Coast scoreless after 30 minutes

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa — Portugal and Ivory Coast each had one good scoring chance but the teams remained scoreless after 30 minutes of their World Cup match.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo rattled a 30-yard strike off the left post in the 11th minute Tuesday to nearly put his team ahead. Ivory Coast’s best chance came in the 17th minute when Cheick Tiote’s shot rose just over the crossbar.

The first half-hour featured plenty of tough tackles and three yellow cards — to Ronaldo and Ivory Coast’s Guy-Roland Demel, both in the 21st minute after an altercation on the edge of the Ivory Coast penalty area, and Demel’s teammate Didier Zokora in the seventh minute.