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5 June 2007

Al-Salmiyah 1-1 Portugal

Live match commentary


Welcome to live match commentary of Portugal’s season-ending friendly against Al-Salmiyah in Kuwait.

Kick-off at 7.00 pm Lisbon time.


Portugal:
Quim (Daniel Fernandes, 65), Paulo Ferreira (Antunes, 61), Fernando Meira (Jorge Andrade, 45), Bruno Alves, Bosingwa, Tiago, Raul Meireles (Petit, 45), Deco (Hugo Viana, 45), Nani (Duda, 45), Postiga (João Tomas, 45), Quaresma

Goals:
[0-1] Joao Tomas, 72
[1-1] Al Aalmiya, 87

Luiz Filipe Scolari:
“The result does not please me but our big moment was in Belgium.”


Text Commentary: Kuwait 1-1 Portugal
  • 93:: (1-1) Referee blows the final whistle. Portugal - 7th in the FIFA rankings - are held by a Kuwaiti club side. Portugal are punished for approaching the match as a training ground exercise. The postive aspects to come out of a forgettable night: Joao Tomas opens his international account. Portugal man-of-the-match Bosingwa followed up his magnificent season with another sold display. Miguel will have to stay on top form to retain his place at right-back.
  • 87:: (1-1) GOAL!!! Brilliant goal from a thirty-five metre free-kick. An embarassing night for Portugal has just got worse.
  • 87:: (1-1) Suluman is the name of the man who will go down in the history of Kuwaiti football. But the free-kick would have graced any stadium in the world.
  • 84:: (0-1) Clock winds down on a hugely forgettable match - unless your name is Joao Tomas.
  • 79:: Quaresma tries his luck from 35 metres and the ball whistles just past the upright.
  • 75:: (0-1) Joao Tomas creates danger again. Good turn and shot forces Mansour into sharp save. The Braga man is making the most of his chance to impress Scolari.
  • 71:: (0-1) GOAL!!! Joao Tomas gets on the end of a precise Quaresma cross to break the deadlock.
  • 64:: Daniel Fernandes and Antunes come on for their international debuts, in place of Quim and Paulo Ferreira bringing the number of debuts in the last three days to four: Bosingwa, Duda, Daniel Fernandes and Antunes.
  • 63:: The Kuwait XI come close to opening the scoring! Low shot from distance has Quim sprawling across goal to keep the ball out with an outstretched hand.
  • 62:: (0-0) Still goalless but Portugal looking livelier. Duda, Viana and Tomas have brought renewed energy to the Portugal attack.
  • 59:: Duda swings in a dangerous cross, Tomas gets on the end of it but makes poor contact and another good chance is gone.
  • 57:: Tomas robs the ball off a defender. the former Braga man is through on goal with just the keeper to beat! His shot beats Mansour but hits the side-netting. Best chance of the match so far.
  • 56:: Viana picks out Duda with a fine 50 metre pass down the wing. The Sevilla winger crosses low into the box but the goalkeeper pouches the ball.
  • 52:: Bosingwa steams down the wing again. His cross is intercepted by a defender in the nick of time as Joao Tomas was preparing to fire into the net.
  • 46:: Second half gets underway. Duda, Hugo Viana, Joao Tomas, Petit, Jorge Andrade on - Nani, Deco, Raul Meireles, Helder Postiga and Fernando Meira off.
  • 45:: Half time. 0-0. Painful viewing at times. The match is being played at an extremely slow pace. Defenders Fernando Meira, Bruno Alves and Bosingwa have been the liveliest performers, no doubt trying to convince Scolari they are deserving of a permanent place in the Portugal starting XI.
  • 44:: Postiga forces goalkeeper Mansour into a sharp save.
  • 43:: From the corner Bruno Alves sends a thunderous header towards goal that is a whisker away from giving Portugal the lead.
  • 42:: Bosingwa breaks the monotony with a typically speedy run and cross that is cut out with difficulty for a corner.
  • 35:: Nani runs towards goal purposefully, finds Deco who touches the ball to Quaresma in a good shooting position. Again the effort flies harmlessly over. A night to forget so far for the Porto winger.
  • 32:: Nani wriggles his way to the goal-line in the box and goes down under a challenge but the referee waves away the young star's claim for a penalty.
  • 29:: Tiago shoots from the edge of the area but it's a tame effort and the ball dies in the belly of the home goalkeeper.
  • 25:: The last time Portugal faced Kuwait they won 8-0 in a preparation match for Euro 2004. A repeat of that night is looking unlikely.
  • 22:: (0-0) Midway through the first half and the match remains goalless.
  • 21:: Paul Ferreira crosses into the box for Postiga whose first-time shot hits the post! Moments later Postiga again works room for himself but his effort is smothered by the keeper.
  • 19:: Better from Portugal. A slick passing move in midfields creates a shooting chance for Raul Meireles and the Porto midfielder fires a venemous shot just over the bar.
  • 16:: A rare counter-attack by the Kuwait XI ends with a speculative cross come shot. The high temperature in Kuwait is resulting in a slow-paced game.
  • 14:: Tiago again in action, finding Nani inside the box who lays the ball off to Meireles who is well placed to shoot at goal. He pulls the trigger and... the ball is sliced harmlessly wide.
  • 12:: Tiago quickens the pace and finds Helder Postiga on the edge of the box. The Porto striker shoots powerfully, but again the effort flies over the target.
  • 8:: Quaresma tries his luck again with a low cross-shot, but the ball skims well wide.
  • 5:: After early pressure for Portugal the home team break dangerously with captain Bashur Abdullah shooting just over the bar.
  • 2:: Quaresma makes space for himself and fires a shot towards goal, but the ball clears the bar.
  • 1:: Kick-off in Kuwait. This may only be a friendly against supposedly weak opposition, but judging by the face of debutant Bruno Alves Portugal will be taking the test seriously.


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