Sports/Olympics / Feature and Column
World Cup- Rugged Portugal win ticket to big stage
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-06-26 09:27
NUREMBERG, June 25 - After 40 years and countless failed attempts
Portugal will again shine on football's biggest stage after setting up a
mouthwatering World Cup quarter-final against England by beating
Netherlands 1-0 on Sunday.
With 1996 World Cup semi-finalist Eusebio cheering them on from the
stands, the Portuguese won a bruising encounter riddled with yellow cards
and a World Cup record of four sending-offs and proved they had learned a
valuable lesson.
Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who took over after their shock 2002
World Cup first round exit, has instilled a sense of professionalism that
had been lacking in all their previous campaigns on the European and
world stage.
Portugal, who reached the Euro 2004 final on home soil using Scolari's
methods before surprisingly losing to rank outsiders Greece, outsmarted
the Dutch on Sunday with sharp, quick passing moves and cluster defending
that shackled most attacks.
While Eusebio's 1966 team and the gifted side that reached the 1984
European Championship semi-finals were only devoted to playing beautiful
football, Scolari has built a team of rugged defenders, smart midfielders
and lightning quick strikers.
'Big Phil', as he is known, guided Brazil to the title four years ago and
has won all the matches, 11 to date, that his teams have played in two
World Cup tournaments.
With only captain Luis Figo and Pauleta still remaining from Portugal's
golden generation of players who won the 1989 and 1991 World Youth titles
and nothing else, the Portuguese managed to hold on to a first-half goal
by Maniche against the Dutch.
DANGEROUS PORTUGAL
Brazilian-born Deco distributed the ball well in midfield while Figo
constantly drew defenders on to him, allowing team mates Miguel, Pauleta
and Maniche to move forward.
Even when livewire winger Cristiano Ronaldo left the pitch injured early
on after a vicious foul by Khalid Boulahrouz, who was strangely enough
not sent off by Russian referee Valentin Ivanov, the Portuguese still
looked dangerous.
When the Dutch attacked in waves midway through the second half,
Portugal, down to 10 men and later nine, kept their cool.
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