It's Brrrrrrrazil, Y'all...

OK, what's that headline mean? Well, the chill factor hovered around freezing all day, and with an 8:30 kickoff, the ambient temperature was right at freezing by game's end. For the record, it was the coldest World Cup match since the 1978 tournament, held in Argentina, also during the Southern hemisphere's winter.

Regardless, it was Brazil's first match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and every Brazil match is an event unto itself. One has to begin with the fans, who are just that, fanatical. Some of the costumes, and ways they support their team, are worth the price of admission.

And yes, the Brazilian fans have also discovered the now infamous vuvuzela, as well.....

But for all the noise, color, enthusiasm, and overall magnitude that is a Brazilian national team match, there was also the actual match to be played, against Group G opponent North Korea. Unfortunately, Brazil came out in the first half with it firmly planted in their collective minds to toy with their Asian counterparts, and the attacking flair was missing through most of the first half. In the second half, though, the true purpose, and the three points that would put them on top of the group, became a priority.

North Korea's efforts to close down space in the middle of the field cost them 10 minutes into the second half when right back Maicon, of club side Inter Milan, broke to the end line and shot from an impossible angle, beating the North Korean goalkeeper to the near post.

Playing with the lead, as they are accustomed to playing, unleashed more fluidity in the Brazilian attack, and midfielder Elano was able to slip through 20 minutes later to give Brazil the 2-0 lead that virtually insured them of the three points.

A North Korean goal in the 89th minute never really threatened the eventual outcome, and now Brazil moves on to the "Group of Death" showdown with Portugal, who tied Ivory Coast, 0-0, setting up almost certain advancement should the five-time world champions prevail.

Copyright 2010. Contents of this blog, written and photographic, are protected from unauthorized use and reproduction by any means, with All Right Reserved by Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA