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 Tuesday, June 27, 2006Portugal 1-0 Holland Portugal booked their place in the last eight of the World Cup and a meeting with England on Saturday after beating Holland in a stormy encounter. Both teams finished the game with nine men after a game which equalled the World Cup record for bookings - 16 - and broke the record for red cards. Deco and Costinha were dismissed for Portugal, while Khalid Boulahrouz and Gio van Bronkhorst saw red for Holland. Maniche scored the only goal, firing into the top corner after 23 minutes. Luiz Felipe Scolari's side will now play England on Saturday 1 July in Gelsenkirchen. Russian referee Valentin Ivanov set the tone for his performance by booking players from the start for late tackles that he could have given free-kicks for. Costinha was the first to go, his first offence a sliding foul on Philip Cocu and his second a blatant handball, leaving Ivanov with little choice. Portugal should have been reduced to nine when Figo was only booked for headbutting Van Bommel, who took his time before falling to the floor. Soon after Figo was at it again. This time it was his turn to fake serious injury as he tangled with Boulahrouz, who was handed a second booking and dismissed. There was more action in the referee's notebook than on the pitch. Deco was booked for a flying foul on Johnny Heitinga and he was off soon after, shown a second yellow for refusing to hand the ball back to Holland as Ivanov continued to throw cards around like confetti. The bookings prevented a young and inexperienced Holland side from gaining any sort of momentum as they chased the game. Their miserable evening was compounded in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Van Bronckhorst was shown a second yellow for a minor foul. Yet they had started so brightly, keen to test Ricardo from range as Mark van Bommel and Robin van Persie went close in the early stages. From being in control the Dutch seemed to switch off - and their lapse in concentration invited pressure that cost them a goal. Deco found space down the right and his cross was laid off by Pauleta to Maniche, who shimmied to create room and hammered the ball into the top corner from 16 yards. Maniche blasted over as Portugal poured forward but their plans took a turn for the worse when Cristiano Ronaldo limped off with an injured thigh after half an hour. The Dutch seemed to gain encouragement from this and Van Persie twisted and turned sublimely in the Portugal box before toe-poking wide from an acute angle. Costinha's dismissal forced Scolari into a change at the break but it was a surprising decision to take off Pauleta and play Luis Figo as the lone striker in a 4-4-1 formation. They were nearly pegged back immediately but Cocu fluffed his lines, slamming against the underside of the bar from eight yards after Nuno Valente's poor control. Ricardo tipped a Van Bommel drive round the post before the keeper did well to parry a Wesley Sneijder shot from distance, but Holland never seriously looked like forcing extra-time. It was Marco van Basten's first competitive defeat as Dutch coach and leaves Holland still waiting for their first win against Portugal since 1991. As for Scolari, the Brazilian can look forward to yet another finals meeting with Sven-Goran Eriksson - his teams put England out of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004. 
Saturday, June 24, 2006Portugal 2-1 Mexico Portugal topped Group D after a narrow win as 10-man Mexico took second place. The Portuguese took an early lead with a well-worked goal, Maniche sidefooting the ball into the roof of the net. Maniche's goal was set up by Simao Sabrosa, who calmly converted the penalty for Portugal's second after Rafael Marquez's senseless handball. Jose Fonseca's glancing header reduced Portugal's lead, but Omar Bravo blazed over a second-half penalty, before Mexico's Luis Perez was red-carded. The win gave Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari a World Cup record of 10 successive victories as a coach. Four years ago Scolari led Brazil to seven consecutive wins when they lifted the World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Scolari had rested the five players who had picked up a yellow card in the opening two Group D games, though their absence was hardly felt as the Euro 2004 finalists scored twice in the opening 24 minutes. Benfica midfielder Simao, who has been long linked with a move to Liverpool, played a key role in both goals. On six minutes Simao surged into the Mexico box before slipping the ball to Maniche, who scored with an adroit finish that Oswaldo Sanchez had no chance of stopping. Midway through the half Mexico conceded a second goal, with Marquez inexplicably raising a hand in the box as he rose to try to clear a Portugal corner. Sanchez dived the right way for Simao's penalty, but the Benfica midfielder's spot-kick was hit with too much precision for the Mexico goalkeeper to get hands on the ball. Just before the half-hour Mexico reduced the deficit, as Fonseca flicked in a header from a corner by Pavel Pardo. Portugal endured a nervy end to the first half, Ricardo throwing himself to his left to tip away a Pardo shot. Soon afterwards Ricardo looked less impressive in trying to gather a cross from the right, though neither Fonseca or Marquez was able to stab the rebound home in the enusing melee. Portugal endured an equally uncomfortable spell after the restart as Mexico continued to press for the equaliser. Just before the hour Mexico should have equalised when they were awarded a penalty after Miguel's handball, only for Bravo to blaze the ball embarrassingly over the bar. Soon after Mexico appealed for a second penalty after a Miguel tackle on Perez. But referee Lubos Michel decided Perez had dived, sending off the Mexican player for his second yellow card. Scolari quickly withdrew Miguel, replacing him with Chelsea full-back Paulo Ferreira, who might have conceded another penalty with an ill-judged tackle on Bravo. Even with 10 men Mexico continued to trouble Portugal, though in the closing stages Scolari's side finished strongly, and Sanchez did well to beat away a Maniche shot. Portugal will meet Holland on Sunday in Nuremberg, while Mexico must face Argentina on Saturday in Leipzig.
Saturday, June 17, 2006Portugal 2-0 Iran Goals from Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo secured Portugal's passage into the last 16 of the World Cup after victory over Iran in Frankfurt. Barcelona playmaker Deco opened the scoring on 62 minutes with a vicious 22-yard strike past stranded Iran goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour. And Ronaldo doubled the score from the penalty spot when Luis Figo was brought down in the box on 78 minutes. Javad Nekounam went closest for Iran, who now cannot qualify. But despite their dominance Portugal failed to capitalise on their superiority, a factor which is likely to concern manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. The best chance of the first half fell to Deco, who was denied when his fierce left-foot drive from eight yards was brilliantly saved by Ebrahim Mirzapour after 12 minutes. The goalkeeper somehow managed to force the ball over the crossbar for a corner, much to the despair of the Brazilian-born star. Wingers Luis Figo and Ronaldo began to exert their influence in midfield as both men created problems with their slick dribbling skills. But neither man could find the incisive ball for striker Pauleta, who toiled alone up front with little success. Ronaldo's pace saw him carve open the Iranian defence on 33 minutes, but his wicked 16-yard strike agonisingly shaved the wrong side of Mirzapour's left-hand post. Despite continuous Portuguese pressure, the Iranians managed to cause the odd problem in their opposition's penalty area - Mehdi Mahdavikia's inswinging free-kick had goalkeeper Ricardo tentatively punching clear. But Portugal's attacking instincts were eventually rewarded on 62 minutes when Deco collected Figo's pass five yards outside the Iranian penalty area. The Barcelona player needed just one touch, striking a sweet first-time shot past the helpless Mirzapour, who could only watch the ball sail into the top left corner.The goal forced Iranian coach Branko Ivankovic to make changes - and his substitution almost paid off when Rasoul Khatibi, on for striker Mehrzad Madanchi, fired just wide after Fernando Meira misjudged a long ball. Victory was eventually secured in the 78th minute when Iran captain Yahya Golmohammadi needlessly brought down Figo in the penalty area. Ronaldo stepped up and confidently converted from the penalty spot, firing into the top left-hand corner. Iran should have pulled a goal back in the 92nd minute, but Javad Nekounam headed wide after rising unchallenged from a free-kick. Ronaldo thought he had scored his second of the game in the dying seconds, but his six-yard shot was adjudged offside.
Friday, June 16, 2006Winning start satisfies Scolari Portugal's Luiz Felipe Scolari was keen to focus on his side's result against Angola rather than the performance. Pauleta gave Portugal an early lead against unfancied minnows Angola, but they failed to build on the advantage. "No games so far have been easy. That's what it's like at a World Cup," said coach Scolari after the 1-0 win. We got the three points. We'll build on that. At one stage they were better than us in midfield but if you look at the best chances they were all ours." Scolari chose not to start or even bring on influential midfielder Deco, despite suggesting he would use the playmaker on the eve of the match. Explaining his change of heart, the Brazilian said: "If it was our third game against Mexico to decide our qualification then perhaps I might have risked him. But it might have worsened his injury and kept him out for a fortnight. In the circumstances we thought the best thing was to use somebody in better condition. "A victory, even by the narrowest margin, is excellent. That's what we wanted - three points in the bag. If you look at the results of the other matches so far, no team has won their game easily. Take Sweden for example - one of the best teams in the world. They drew with Trinidad and Tobago, who were a well-organised team. "The early goal gave us peace of mind and we created three or four clear opportunities after that but couldn't score with any of them. "The game was more competitive than expected. But the important thing is it is three points in the bag and there are six matches to go (to the final)." Pauleta, who struck after just four minutes, insisted Portugal must improve if they are to make an impact in Germany. "Angola fought their socks off and made things difficult for us," said the Paris St German marksman. "The first game is always difficult but we have to step it up if we want to go much further in this tournament. We really need to do better." Skipper Luis Figo echoed Pauleta's critical tone. "We came in here well prepared and we played well at times but there were periods when we went off and lost our rhythm," he said. We were up against a rival who made life tough for us."
Monday, June 12, 2006Portugal beats Angola in Group D opener Portugal had a harder time than expected against World Cup newcomer Angola. The Portuguese were still happy to come away with a 1-0 win Sunday in their opening Group D match. Portugal failed to impress for most of the match, however, and by the end the team was listening to the jeers of a crowd frustrated by their sluggish play. Pedro Pauleta scored his record 47th goal for Portugal in the fourth minute, tapping in after captain Luis Figo sliced through the Angolan defence and drew out the goalkeeper. The Portuguese extended their unbeaten run to 16 games over the past 16 months but will regret failing to score more against a lower-ranked team. Portugal, making its fourth World Cup appearance, largely outplayed the Angolans in the early stages. But it faded badly, allowing the Angolans back into the game and keeping the scoreline in doubt. By the end, the Portuguese had lost their charm and German fans in the crowd were cheering for the Angolan underdogs. ''It was a tough game. The early goal calmed us down and we could have got three or four more,'' Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. ''But in the second half the Angolans improved and at times they were better than us.'' Angola, an impoverished former Portuguese colony in Africa whose players are mostly at lesser-known clubs, occasionally tested the jittery Portuguese defence but lacked sophistication in midfield. ''Overall, Portugal deserved the win,'' Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves said. ''But we played some nice soccer. We made life difficult for the Portuguese. They have some weak points.'' Scolari, who won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, said the main aim was to start with a win. ''None of the games so far have been easy. That's what it's like at a World Cup,'' Scolari said. ''We got the three points. We'll build on that.'' Pauleta, Portugal's all-time leading scorer, twice came close to stretching Portugal's lead in the first 15 minutes. He side-footed past the post after Simao Sabrosa broke from the kickoff, then volleyed over the bar when the Angolan goalkeeper charged off his line. Portugal lined up without midfield playmaker Deco, who was hurt in training last week. Sabrosa took Luis Figo's role on the wing while the captain moved into Deco's usual spot. The Portuguese were having it all their own way until Angola found its composure midway through the first half and began to even things out. Mateus had a long-range shot and then captain Fabrice Akwa attempted a bicycle kick that went over the crossbar. The Portuguese defence, where Fernando Meira has replaced Jorge Andrade in the centre, looked shaky. Akwa, Mateus and Kalanga probed for an opening but the best chance came at the other end where Cristiano Ronaldo headed against the crossbar in the 30th. A thundering shot from Andre Macanga forced Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira to dive at full stretch to keep the ball out. Ronaldo almost made it 2-0 seconds before halftime when he had a fierce shot saved by the goalkeeper. Scolari spent more time standing on the touchline in the second half, barking orders at his players who weren't making enough of the team's possession. Pauleta's 57th-minute attempt with a curling shot from outside the penalty area was a rare glimpse of Portugal's firepower as the game ebbed. Portuguese fans jeered as their team miscued passes and failed to show its usual flair. Angola went in search of an equalizer, bringing on Benfica striker Pedro Mantorras for the final 20 minutes. Portugal, meanwhile, beefed up its defensive line with Maniche and Francisco Costinha, but Mateus almost levelled the score in the dying minutes. Maniche's powerful shot in added time was tipped over the bar by Angola goalkeeper Joao Ricardo. The players displayed no bad blood after their bruising last encounter five years ago in which four Angolans were sent off for nasty tackles and the game had to be abandoned 20 minutes from the end. Angola emerged four years ago from a ruinous two-decade civil war that devastated public infrastructure and brought widespread poverty.
Thursday, June 08, 2006 Simao: Spirit and Scolari are key Just two days after the Seleção arrived to an excited reception from locals and travelling fans, the picturesque Westphalia town of Marienfeld seems to have been transformed into a 'little Portugal.' Flags, banners and welcome signs have made a green and red tapestry of this otherwise peaceful stadt. Amid all the fanfare, there is hard work to do and Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa sat down with the media on Tuesday to discuss the strengths of the Portugal side. He stressed the "strong" condition of Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad and was quick to dismiss talk of any personality clashes in a dressing room brimming with high-profile stars. "Our main strength is simple to describe – it is the team itself. We only think about the team. We don't think about individuals or the big stars and the names that everyone knows." Simao believes the upbeat mood and excellent team spirit are down, primarily, to the leadership of coach Scolari, a world champion with Brazil back in 2002. "He (Scolari) has us all in good shape and ready to go," said the player. "Of course, we are anxious too as our first match draws nearer, but we are ready."
 Squad1 RICARDO (GK) 2 PAULO FERREIRA 3 CANEIRA 4 RICARDO COSTA 5 FERNANDO MEIRA 6 COSTINHA 7 LUIS FIGO 8 PETIT 9 PAULETA 10 HUGO VIANA 11 SIMAO SABROSA 12 QUIM (GK) 13 MIGUEL 14 NUNO VALENTE 15 BOA MORTE 16 RICARDO CARVALHO 17 CRISTIANO RONALDO 18 MANICHE 19 TIAGO 20 DECO 21 NUNO GOMES 22 PAULO SANTOS (GK) 23 HELDER POSTIGA
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