Chile 1 Spain 2:Brazil and Portugal claimed first and second respectively in Group G this afternoon after a forgettable but tetchy 0-0 draw in Durban was enough to render the efforts of the Ivory Coast against North Korea irrelevant.
As it transpired, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side had not done enough in winning 3-0 against the minnows of the Group of Death and they too bow out having entered the tournament as their continent’s mostly highly fancied team.
Yaya Toure’s calm finish from the edge of the box got them off to a promising start and when Ndri Ndri Romaric headed home six minutes later it looked like another trouncing was on the cards for North Korea.
However, Salomon Kalou was the only Ivorian who built on the first half tally when he hit the net eight minutes from time, though in the absence of a Portuguese defeat it meant little.
Both Brazil and Portugal will have to wait until Group H is decided this evening before they learn who they face in the last 16. Either could face one from Chile, Spain and Switzerland. It's all to play for in the final group to be decided.
The match, one of the most eagerly-awaited of the first round, was a huge disappointment with neither team prepared to take risks and was marred by petulant behaviour on both sides.
"It was a difficult game. They started very strongly, we had to put on our working overalls but I think we left the match wearing a smoking jacket," remarkded Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz after the game.
"There was a fantastic attitude from all the Portugal players. They were great in how they tried to play their football and how they fought.
"It's a qualification for the next round that is fully merited and now we have to think about another type of game, with everything for the winner and nothing for the loser."
The flurry of bookings in a bad-tempered first period included Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo, who was hauled off just before halftime by coach Dunga and replaced by Josue as his duel with Pepe - also yellow carded - threatened to boil over.
There were only three efforts on target before the break as both teams cancelled each other out. The best first-half chances fell to Nilmar, who had his close-range effort tipped onto the post by Eduardo after a cross by Maicon and then saw a downward header from another Maicon cross bounce just wide of the goal.
Tempers calmed down after the break with Portugal looking the sharper and substitute Simao Sabrosa forced Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar to make a tricky save from a long-range effort at the second attempt.
Portugal should have gone ahead soon after when Cristiano Ronaldo's run ended with the ball falling to Raul Meireles but his close-range effort was saved by Cesar who dived bravely to turn the ball around the post and was hurt in the process.
Despite their exit, Ivory Coast coach Eriksson said he was pleased with his side's performance.
"We scored three goals, with a clean sheet once again," he said. "We were in a difficult group. I think we did well, I think the players should be proud of themselves."
Needing a glut of goals to stand any chance of advancing, Ivory Coast left Kalou on the bench and opted for a three-pronged attack of Didier Drogba, Gervais 'Gervinho' Kouassi and Abdelkader Keita.
North Korea coach Kim Jong-hun kept faith with the same starting 11 that were ruthlessly dismantled 7-0 by Portugal in the previous game.
It could have been five or six by halftime as North Korea struggled to cope with the one-way traffic heading towards their net.
Ri Myong-guk was forced into action right from the kick-off, making a smart save from Keita, but there would be no respite for the North Korean goalkeeper as Ivory Coast flooded forwarded at every opportunity.
Didier Drogba looked in the mood from the outset and had the ball in the net in the 11th minute but his header was disallowed for offside.
The Ivorians would not have long to wait though and in the 14th minute Toure took a pass on the edge of the area before opening up his body and curling the ball into the far corner of the net.
Romaric struck the outside of the post four minutes later but was on hand to nod the ball home after Drogba crashed a vicious shot off the underside of the crossbar in the 20th minute.
North Korea's first and only chance of the first half came in the 25th minute when captain Hong Yong-jo stroked a free-kick just wide of Boubacar Barry's goal.
The west Africans picked up where the left off in the second half, Drogba sending a diving header wide and Gervinho failing to connect with Keita's dangerous delivery, but North Korea looked far more organised in defence.
Jong Tae-se almost pulled one back for North Korea in the 81st minute but he could not force the ball over the line.
Instead, Ivory Coast notched up a third when Kalou, on as a substitute, side footed home from close range in the 82nd minute after a great cross from Arthur Boka.