Put Portugal against a strong team with players that mark Simao and Deco. A quick player on the right flank to outrun left-back Paolo Ferreira. Defenders (Friedrich) closely paying attention to Bosingwa's crosses. Give the opponent 3 or 4 set pieces with strong tall players and they'll convert 2 of them. Take away their possession of the ball and Portugal is stopped. Nothing to do with Cristiano Ronaldo.
UEFA gave the Carlsberg man of the match to Schweinsteiger. Some Portuguese fans don't agree and say Deco deserved it. Yes, to me, Deco carried the Portugal team on his shoulders more than any other player. However, his actions didn't pay off in goals. Schweinsteiger was involved in all 3 goals and was a nightmare all night long for Ferreira.
Hats off to Germany who always took the initiative since the 1st minute. And kept the lead.
I can't believe it. It was game over at 1-3. When Postiga scored the 2nd goal in the 84th minute, I believed that Portugal can pull off a miracle and at least draw. When the extra time was 4 minutes. Even more. I wanted Portugal to do the impossible in the last 4 minutes and 4 minutes of injury time. Again and again, the best player in the Portugal team- Deco hands down.
Portugal 0-1 Germany 26' Klose
Photo: euro2008.sapo.pt/multimedia/fotos/portugal_vs_alemanha
15th minute- Moutinho was in the area in front of Lehmann, the ball hit his thigh and could have scored.
Cristiano Ronaldo had the ball on the right flank. Could have scored himself but instead passed it to Nuno Gomes who was in front of Lehmann.
Goal: Portugal defenders struggling. Podolski was quicker than Pepe on the left flank, was able to cross it to Klose's head. Photo:
Portugal 0-2 Germany
Goal: Schweinsteiger free kick. Once again, Portugal defenders didn't mark Klose. Klose had all the space in the world to head it passed Ricardo.
Raul Meireles- not accurate in a few passes. 39th minute, a cross where there was nobody.
Portugal 1-2 Germany
58th minute- Portugal almost scored from a corner kick. Pepe just a few inches away from Jens Lehamnn headed it over the crossbar. The most clear goal opportunity for Portugal until then.
Portugal's 1st goal, scored by captain, forward, #21, Nuno Gomes: He couldn't score in the 1st game against Turkey despite having 2 clear chances. The captain playing it's 14th game in the UEFA Euro tournament. He needed to score today- to show the Portuguese fans that he deserved his place in the starting 11.
You could tell the team wanted Gomes to score. Before Cristiano Ronaldo crossed it in the box to him but he missed. Deco also had made cross so Nuno Gomes can score. In those 2 times, Nuno Gomes didn't get to the ball because a German defender read the whole action and prevented Nuno Gomes from getting to the ball.
Portugal then stopped depending on forwards to score. The midfield started to shoot, off target.
45th minute- Raul Meireles
47th minute- Petit
74th minute- Raul Meireles
77th minute- Deco
Portugal 2-3 Germany
The 3 substitutes-Nani the best of the 3 (Meireles, Postiga, Nani)
Nani, because on the left and right created chances for POstiga, and he wasn't stopped easily by German defenders.
Postiga- I'm so happy for him- The only clear chance he had in the 2nd half and he scored. Lady luck was with him this time.
Best player in the Portugal team:
Deco
Left right always looking for ways to go forward. Even tried 2 times to score. Consistent in all 3 Portugal games of the group stage.
What did Portugal need to win
- Set piece- Corner kicks- What Portugal player was in charge of marking Klose? Where was he? How come Klose was free to head it with all the space around him?
- Set piece- Free kick- Portugal knew Schweinsteiger has powerful free kicks. Did Portugal study the video of the 2006 world cup game?
- Ricardo in the 3rd goal, mistake
- A real Left-back- It was painfully clear how much Paolo Ferreira couldn't handle Schweinsteiger. How much can Scolari trust Ferreira. He's slow. I don't think Ferreira will have a place in the starting 11. Since he's a right-back, there's simply Bosingwa, who's quicker, can defend AND go forward. Then, Miguel.
Scolari press conference after 
the match-
"All the screens in the stadium showed clearly that Ballack pushed Ferreira in the 3rd goal."
Now that Scolari's out-
No more
.... Ricardo in goal no matter what. He was to blame for the 3rd goal by Ballack.
.... Paolo Ferreira as left-back, he's a right back period. Who can be the next Portugal left-back?
.... Nuno Gomes in starting lineup. Make way for Nani
.... Simao in starting lineup. Make way for Quaresma.
- What did you think of Portugal's performance in the game? Was it your favorite to go to the semi-finals? Who was the Best Player in the Portugal team?
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