Marcello Lippi’s bunch, who crashed out of the Fifa World Cup in the first round after a 2-3 loss to Slovakia, weren’t like the Italian teams of old. They were just an Italian team that was old.

A match that had all the ingredients for a pot-boiler ended in a goalless draw as the safety-first approach of both the coaches ensured Brazil and Portugal shared the spoils in a booking-littered game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium here on Friday.

With a spot in the next round secure, Brazil and Portugal face off in their last Group G match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday with little at stake except pride.

This wasn’t what Julius Caeser had in mind when he wrote Veni, Vedi, Veci.

The first Fifa World Cup on African soil has not been short of talking points, from the Jabulani to the vuvuzela. However, when it comes to the field, the form of the Latin Americans has been the talk of the town, with coach of European champions Spain the latest to label the Conmebol teams as favourites.

David Villa showed just why FC Barcelona doled out $49 million last month to pry him away from Valencia, scoring two goals as Spain displayed fluid, attacking football to tame former colony Honduras 2-0 at Ellis Park here on Monday.

A little piece of magic from Luis Fabiano’s boot, and a not so magical moment from the striker’s chiselled bicep, set Brazil on their way to the next round with a comfortable 3-1 win over Ivory Coast in their World Cup Group G match at the Soccer City Stadium here on Sunday.

Brazil striker Luis Fabiano struck the most controversial goal of the 2010 World Cup, using his bicep twice to control the ball before slotting it past Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry at Soccer City on Sunday.

Fabio Capello’s men aren’t the only ones ‘under-performing’. The Italian tactician’s ban on WAGS may be hitting the English hard on the field, but it’s not just Wayne Rooney & Co.

Spain went into to the tournament much in the spirit of Don Quixote. After a 0-1 loss to Switzerland in their first match the mood in the camp is much in the spirit of Sancho Panza.