Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles’s run through the North Korean defense was rewarded by Thiago, who slid a ball through the defense from 25 yards out, allowing Meireles to run onto a ball eight yards from goal and beat Ri Myong-Guk for the Seleccao’s first goal of World Cup 2010.
Meireles ran around three North Korean defenders and onto the Thiago pass to the right of goal. The ball, skidding along the wet Cape Town surface, slowed up right before is reached the six yard box. Ri, coming off his line, could not reach the ball before Meireles put a right foot to it, beating the goalkeeper to his left for the opening goal.