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6 February 2008

Portugal v Italy

Live match commentary


Welcome to live match commentary of Portugal’s preparation match for Euro 2008 against reigning World Champions Italy.

Follow all the action minute by minute from the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich. Kick-off at 7.45 pm Lisbon time.


This page automatically updates every 90 seconds


Text Commentary: Portugal 1-3 Italy
  • 93::

    Full time whistle goes. A disappointing display on the whole for Portugal, with Italy always looking superior to Scolari's team. Some shaky defending and a porous midfiel will be a worry for the Brazilian. 

    On a positive note there were some encouraging individual performances from the Portuguese, especially from Ricardo Quaresma who didn't put a foot wrong and fully deserved his goal. If the Porto man maintains this form Simao and Nani will have their work cut out getting into the starting XI. Sustitutes Jorge Ribeiro and Nani and Petit also deserve honourable mentions for good contributions.

    Overall conclusion: Portugal have a lot of improving to do to build a team capable of challenging for the Euro 2008 title.

  • 92:: Ronaldo tries his luck from 25 metres but his shot is straigth at Amelia.
  • 90:: Superb turn and shot by Nani brings a fine save out of Amelia.
  • 88:: Paulo Ferreira swings in a dangerous cross that Ronaldo gets his head to, only to direct his effort wide.
  • 86:: Jorge Ribeiro, who had done his chances of earning a permanent place in the squad no harm in the short time he has been on the pitch, wins a free kick in a dangerous position. Ronaldo fires and excellent shot over the bar but Amelia saves well.
  • 83:: Portugal win a series of corners.
  • 81:: Italy close to scoring a fourth. Pirlo releases a team-mate with a wonderful pass down the right wing and only a desperate clearance from Ferreira saves the day.
  • 78:: GoaaaalGoal for Italy. The Italians immediately hit back through Quagliarella after Portugal fail to clear the ball out of the box.
  • 76:: GoaaaalGOAL for PORTUGAL!!! Nani crosses into the box, Almeida misses scandalously and Ricardo Quaresma hammers the ball into the net. Just reward for and excellent performance by the Porto winger.
  • 74:: Superb cross by Ribeiro sees a diving Hugo Almeida just fail to connect.
  • 72:: Jorge Ribeiro fires a good cross-shot towards goal but Amelia shows safe hands.
  • 70:: Excrellent overhead kick by Almeida sets Nani racing into the penalty box. The winger shows good determination and only a last-ditch tackle stops the young Manchester United winger.
  • 68:: Yet another substitution for Portugal. Jorge Ribeiro comes on for Jose Bosingwa.
  • 66:: Two corners in quick succession for Portugal cause relative danger with Ricardo Carvalho and Ronaldo getting their heads to the ball but without troubling the Italy goalkeeper.
  • 63:: Italy are giving Portugal a lesson this second half with some superb passing. Palladino gets on the end of another beautiful move and his rasping shot is turned onto the bar by the diving Ricardo.
  • 61:: Raul Meireles comes on for Maniche and immediately wins a corner.
  • 59:: More bright play by Quaresma almost frees Almeida. Although only friendly the FC Porto man is possibly having his best game in a Portugal shirt.
  • 57:: A lethal attack by Italy frees Di Natale in the box whose dangerous shot is well saved by the diving Ricardo.
  • 56:: Makukula is replaced by Hugo Almeida.
  • 54:: Scolari orders Hugo Almeida to warm up. But it looks unlikely that Portugal are going to improve on their dismal record of just 4 wins and 2 draws in 23 matches against the Italians...
  • 53:: Quaresma does well to win the ball on the right wing but his cross is cut out by the Italian keeper Amelia.
  • 50:: GoaaaalGoal for Italy. Poor clearance from Maniche is latched onto by Pirlo whose shot deflects off Cannavaro bobbles on to the post and nestles in the back of the net.
  • 49:: Great chance for Italy to double their lead. More poor marking sees Toni free in the middle but Ricardo does well to save.
  • 47:: Three changes made by Scolari at the break. Paulo Ferreira comes on for Marco Caneira. Fernando Meira comes on for Petit. Nani comes on for Deco. The trio have 45 minutes to try and convince the Brazilian coach they are worthy of a starting berth.
  • 46:: The half-time whistle goes. A reasonable display by Portugal in a low-pace match. Quaresma, Bruno Alves and Petit have impressed against a typically clinical Italy team who are happy to hand the initiative to the Portuguese and hit dangerously on the break.
  • 45:: GoaaaalGoal for Italy. Grosso breaks down the left flank and his low cross eludes Ricardo and the retreating defenders. The sliding Toni has the simple task of knocking the ball into the empty net. 
  • 44:: Great chance for Portugal. Quaresma breaks dangerously and its 2 against 1 for Portugal but Quaresma's pass is too long and the chance is wasted.
  • 43:: More super play by Quaresma. A twinkling cross-field run takes him past three defenders before passing to Ronaldo, but the United man is crowded out.
  • 41:: Ronaldo takes a run-up and with that peculiar manner of his strikes the ball well forcing Amelia into a scrambling diving stop.
  • 40:: Ronaldo wins a free kick in the centre of the pitch 25 metres out. No prizes for guessing who's going to take it.
  • 39:: Some neat interplay in midfield between Petit and Maniche releases Bosingwa. The Porto right-back speeds past his marker but sends his cross over the crossbar.
  • 36:: Ronaldo cushions the ball with his chest for Makukula who despite scuffing his shot almost scores as the ball skims just wide of the post.
  • 33:: Makukula tries his luck from distance but his shot goes high and wide.
  • 31:: More excellent play by Quaresma. The winger bursts past several defenders and wins a corner. The Porto winger - preferred by PortuGOAL readers over Simao and Nani to partner Ronaldo on the other wing for the national team - seems intent on impressing Scolari tonight.
  • 28:: Substitution by Italy. Zambrotta comes off and is replaced by Italy's World Cup semi-final hero Grosso. Left-back for left-back.
  • 26:: Italy come close to taking the lead twice. First Di Natale is found with a precision throughball and his powerful shot brings out an excellent save from Ricardo. From the resulting corner Ambrosini heads just wide.
  • 25:: Deco tries his luck from outside the box but his weak effort dribbles wide.
  • 24:: Deco next to threaten with a shot over the bar. Better from Scolari's men.
  • 23:: Some good interplay between Portugal's two wing sensations Ronaldo and Quaresma releases the Porto man. A typical Quaresma cross with the outside of his right foot forces Amelia to make a diving interception.
  • 20:: Portugal close to taking the lead! Deco swings in the corner and Bruno Alves rises highest to thunder a header just over the bar.
  • 19:: Two pieces of wonderful skill by Quaresma has the Italian defenders scrambling on the wing. The Porto man wins a dangerous free-kick and that man Ronaldo lines up for a pop. The Manchester United man's shot is deflected for a corner.
  • 15:: Ricardo playing with fire. The Betis goalkeeper tries to dribble past Toni instead of booting clear and is almost  embarassed, but the Portugal goalkeeper manages to clear at the second attempt.
  • 12:: Di Natale is next to threaten, failing to connect properly when in a good position to score. Portugal are enjoying plenty of possession but Italy are the only team creating danger.
  • 11:: Bruno Alves gives away a dangerous free kick. Pirlo swings the ball into the net and Ambrosini connects with a header but the ball is directed straight at Ricardo.
  • 7:: Timely interception by Petit sets up a chance of an attack but Caneira wastes the opportunity with a loose pass directly out of play.
  • 4:: Huge let-off for Portugal. Portugal's defence fails to deal with a cross and the ball drops to the unmarked Pirlo who controls the ball and fires an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net. The referee disallows the goal for a supposed handball but TV replays suggest the Portuguese enjoyed a lucky escape.
  • 2:: Portugal respond. A good break by Bosingwa ends with a deflected cross into the box that Amelia pouches.
  • 1:: First moment of relative danger. Italy break down the right flank and cross into the box. Ricardo collects without problem.
  • 0::

    Welcome to Zurich where Portugal are preparing for their first match since qualification of Euro 2008. And the opposition could not be tougher - none other than the current World Champions, Italy.

     

    Starting line-ups:

    PORTUGAL:
    Ricardo, Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho, Bruno Alves, Caneira, Petit, Maniche, Deco, Ronaldo, Quaresma, Makukula

    ITALY:
    Amelia, Oddo, Barzagli, Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Pirlo, Ambrosini, De Rossi, Palladino, Di Natale, Toni.













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