Brazil comfortably defeated the Ivory Coast 3-1 in Johannesburg but saw Kaka controversially dismissed in the closing stages for an innocuous clash with Kader Keita. Brazil: 3 Ivory Coast: 1
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg Crowd: 84,455 Referee Stephane Lannoy (France) Assistants Eric Dansault and Laurent Ugo (France) Fourth official Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (Malaysia) Yellow cards:BRA - Kaka IVO - Tiene, Keita
Red cards: KAKA (Bra) MATCH REPORT After a slow start Brazil cruised into a three goal lead thanks to a brace from Luis Fabiano and a Blumer Elano effort. Didier Drogba pulled a goal back with 12 minutes remaining but it was the dismissal of Kaka for two yellow cards in the space of three minutes which was the games main talking point.
A cagey opening twenty minutes had the Brazilians lacking any rhythm against an Ivory Coast side who defended in numbers leaving Drogba as a lone striker.
Robinho had blasted over for Brazil but overall it was developing into a game of midfield attrition until the South American's scored a goal out of nothing after 24 minutes.
Kaka played the ball inside to Fabiano who from a tight angle hammered the ball into the roof of the net. The half ended with the Ivory Coast pressing but it was the second forty five minutes that was to provoke comment.
Two early goals sealed the game for Brazil. Fabiano's second strike of the game came in the 50th minute and was tinged with a hint of handball, not once but twice, as he rode three challenges before firing past Boubacar Barry.
Eleven minutes later the contest was over as Kaka cut the ball back from the left and Elano was first to react and side-footed firmly past the keeper.
Brazil now began to play the type of Samba football expected of them as they exploited the gaps the Ivory Coast were leaving as they chased the game.
Drogba pulled a goal back on 78 minutes, timing his run to perfection sending a glancing header past Julio Cesar.
Suddenly the game developed an edge with a flurry of off the ball incidents and yellow cards.
Kaka received his first yellow on 85 minutes for a clash with Yaya Toure. Then three minutes later an off the ball incident saw the Real Madrid player sent off for a second yellow.
Television replays saw Kaka and Keita have minimal contact as they came together but the Ivory Coast player fell to the ground clutching his face and writhing around.
The French referee Stephane Lannoy consulted with his officials and immediately sent off the Brazilian to the astonishment of coach Dunga.
What should have been a routine victory for Brazil has left them with Kaka missing the knockout stage dependent on how many games he is banned for and Elano carried off after a late tackle by Cheik Tiote. Starting Line-Ups
BRA
1. Soares Julio Cesar 2. Sisenando Maicon 3. Ferreira Lucio 4. Silveira Juan 6. Fernandes Michel Bastos 7. Blumer Elano (Daniel, 67) 8. Gilberto Silva 5. De Carvalho Felipe Melo 10. Ricardo Kaka 9. Clemente Luis Fabiano 11. De Souza Robinho (Ramires, 90+3) SUBS
12. Heurelho Gomes (GK) 13. da Silva Dani Alves 14. Anderson Luisao 15. Emiliano Thiago Silva 16. Da Silva Gilberto 17. Anunciado Josue 18. Nascimento Ramires 19. Cesar Julio Baptista 20. Jose Kleberson 21. Honorato da Silva Nilmar 23. Libano Batista Grafite 22. Alexander Doni (GK) IVO
1. Boubacar Barry 20. Guy Demel 4. Kolo Toure 5. Didier Zokora 17. Siaka Tiene 15. Aruna Dindane (Gervinho, 54) 21. Emmanuel Eboue (Romaric, 72) 19. Gnegneri Toure Yaya 9. Cheik Tiote 8. Salomon Kalou (Keita, 68) 11. Didier Drogba
SUBS
16. Aristide Zogbo (GK) 2. Brou Angoua 3. Arthur Boka 6. Steve Gohouri 7. Seydou Doumbia 10. Yao Gervinho 12. Jean-Jaques Gosso 13. Ndri Romaric 14. Emmanuel Kone 18. Abdulkader Keita 22. Souleymane Bamba 23. Daniel Yeboah (GK)
