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Friday, Jul 02, 2004

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Portugal on the threshold of glory

By Kevin McCarra

LISBON, JULY 1. Portugal edged their way into the Euro 2004 final to be played at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz on Sunday but let there be no talk of home comforts.

Wednesday's winners have been anxious hosts from the outset of the competition and had to fret here after Holland, who earlier saw a Ruud van Nistelrooy goal chalked off, threatened to complete a comeback.

A goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, sloppily conceded by the Dutch in the 26th minute, came at the close of a spell when Portugal had been depending on the counter-attack. It is a style that comes naturally to Luiz Felipe Scolari's line-up, yet is still bound to sit awkwardly with the host nation of a tournament.

A country awaits a spectacle rather than a night of intrigue. Since beginning with a loss to Greece, however, Portugal and their followers have at least begun to believe in the strategy.

Holland, for their part, made good their promise of taking the game to the opposition as often as possible.

The trouble was, of course, that Dick Advocaat would have feared to issue any other instructions. The Dutch do not defend well. Even when Marc Overmars, restored to favour, was embarrassing the left-back Nuno Valente, who eventually clashed with him in an off-the-ball incident, Portugal flourished on the break.

Luis Figo, for instance, was free on the left for one early foray that ended in an attempt by Deco. The Portugal captain, substituted in all but one of Portugal's matches before this semifinal, was in an understandable hurry to make an impression. All that was required from Figo to break the deadlock, though, was a well-struck, in-swinging corner.

There is a spring to Ronaldo's young legs but his marker Giovanni van Bronckhorst ought to have been weighing him down instead of letting the teenager have a free header.

Purposeful as they were, Holland were often vulnerable to Portuguese raids. If Scolari had a real finisher at his beck and call, instead of oscillating between unsatisfactory candidates, the side would have doubled its lead by half-time.

Deco's wonderfully weighted pass to Maniche after 34 minutes was rolled into the path of Pauleta, who had been preferred to Nuno Gomes, but the Paris St-Germain striker's attempt was not well enough aimed and Edwin van der Saar made a good save.

Figo resorted to an individualistic approach two minutes later, hitting the post with a bending drive after cutting in from the right.

Holland would not have deserved to be sunk so early. They might well have enjoyed an equaliser in the 39th minute. Overmars fed Van Nistelrooy and the attacker was as meticulous as ever in finding the corner of the net. There was consternation, and a yellow card for a protesting Overmars, when an offside decision was given. The positioning of Portugal's right-back Miguel may actually have made it a valid goal.

Advocaat's men have had their woes. The Dutch can seem more devoted to their standing as the ultimate aesthetes of football than they are with the national team's status. The public seem reluctant to pardon a long-ball style, even though it has taken their side a long way in this tournament. Grotesque ugliness would have been embraced in France, Spain Italy, Germany and, of course, England if it had produced such an effect.

Van Nistelrooy, chasing and harrying here, may have to be more mundane than he is at Old Trafford, but Holland established their worth in periods here.

They could also have scored in the 28th minute, had not Overmars recklessly blasted a volley high after Phillip Cocu had forced an Edgar Davids cross towards him.

Profligacy is always unwelcome, but a vulnerable Holland looked as if they might suffer for it even more than most. Were it not for Pauleta's blunt finishing, Portugal would have increased their advantage sooner than they did. The Portugal goalkeeper booted downfield in the 54th minute and after Cocu missed the ball the forward shot straight at Van der Saar.

Portugal were not to be denied for long. Three minutes later, Ronald chipped a corner well away from the area and an advancing Maniche scored with an extraordinary curving shot from some 30 yards. The contest appeared, over, but Portugal are not always as clinical as Scolari would wish.

After 63 minutes, Jorge Andrade strained to clear a Van Bronckhorst cross and merely lifted the ball into his own net.

Even before Maniche's goal, Advocaat tried to make his midfield more dashing and Portugal, toiling to come to terms with Andrade's misfortune, grew anxious.

They have gone through this competition suffering stress, whether trying to find a way out of a group in which they floundered or seeking a comeback against England. The test last night was to retain a lead that had narrowed unexpectedly.

Line-ups:

Portugal: Ricardo; Miguel, Andrade, Carvalho, Nuno Valente; Maniche (Coutho, 87), Costinha; Figo, Deco, Ronaldo (Petit, 68); Pauleta (Nuno Gomes, 75).

Holland: Van der Saar; Reiziger, Stam, Bouma (Van der Vaart, 56), Van Bronckhorst; Cocu; Seedorf, Davids; Overmars (Makaay, h-t), Van Nistelrooy, Robben (Van Hooijdonk, 81).

Referee: A. Frisk (Sweden).

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