THE DAY after an England game is always nice.
We can get back to watching football !
Portugal have played some lovely stuff and lead Mexico by 2-1 at half-time.
Their sweet pass-and-move style allowed them to dominate until Mexico came back into it in the last ten minutes.
Benfica winger Simao, craved by Rafa Benitez, showed his class by cruising down the left flank in six minutes and rolling a perfect pass into the run of Maniche, who sidefooted fiercely into the net for 1-0.
In 24, skipper Rafael Marquez, playing in midfield, handled a cross and keeper Sanchez tried to psyche out Simao by dancing on his line as the penalty was about to be taken.
But Simao blasted it past him for 2-0.
In 29, a goal by Jose Fonseca kept it interesting. A left wing corner came over and his downward header found no defender on the far post and bounced in for 2-1.
REFEREE Lubos Michel of Slovakia was the star of the second half, sending off Perez very harshly with a second yellow, refusing the Mexicans an obvious penalty, and booking a total of eight players, including subs Luis Boa Marte and Nuno Gomes.
Marquez moved back to centreback at halftime and Mexico played better after that, but could not finish and had no luck.
Portugal will play whoever finishes second in the Holland-Argentina group.
Tevez, three-time South American Footballer of the Year, starts against Holland in Frankfurt tonight. Many players are being rested, so it may be a bit academic.
Angola and Iran drew 1-1, which puts Mexico though to play the winners of the Argentina group.
BEFORE THE GAME I had wondered whether to have a bet on Portugal, since they did not need to win and were resting Deco, Pauleta, Cristiano Ronaldo, Costinha and Nuno Valente.I wondered whether, if things were not going well , one of those players might come on.
But Big Phil Scolari denied this in The Guardian.
“They won’t play a minute, even if Mexico are winning 30-0. We don’t need to take huge risks. We know that later we have to play a knockout game.”
That’s what I love about Big Phil.
You always know where you stand with him. He doesn’t dissemble.