Classy Portugal book berth in South Africa!

Bosnia 0-1 Portugal (aggregate 0-2) 

A goal from Raul Meireles gave Portugal a richly deserved victory after a controlled performance in Bosnia. The hosts were never truly in it, with the trio of Carvalho, Alves and Pepe dealing easily with Bosnia's strategy of hitting Portugal with an aerial bombardment. 

Bosnia 0-1 Portugal (aggregate score: 0-2)

94' Full time. Portugal are in the 2010 World Cup!!!!!!!!!!!! A performance oozing with class proved too much for the hosts. Bosnia's players show good sportsmanship in congratulating the Portuguese.

93' Edinho scoops a chance over the bar when it seems easier to score from six yards out after being played in by Deco.

92' The man-mountain Pepe sweeps all before him and runs the ball into the corner. It's all over bar the shouting! Bosnia have been hugely disappointing, playing far worse than in Lisbon.

91' Referee gives four minutes of added time.

89' Portugal playing keep-ball. Miguel Veloso comes on for Liedson to eat up more seconds.

88' Goalkeeper Hasagic again saves his side further embarrasment. Bruno Alves latches onto a free-kick turns and shoots powerfully. The keeper does well to keep it out.

87' Bosnia can't even get the ball out of thier own half.

85' Portugal in complete control. Five minutes to go until party time!

84' Edinho shows neat piece of skill to bamboozle his marker and fire in a shot that bounces awkardly in front of the keeper who keeps it out of the net with his forehead!

83' More good play from Duda, having surely his best game in a Portugal shirt.

81' Bosnia almost score! Dzeko has space in the box, swivels and volleys inches wide of the post.

80' Deco comes on for Simao.

78' Portugal almost score again. Carvalho and Liedson fail to produce a clinical finish when in very scorable positions.

77' Red Card for Salihovic who picks up his second yellow. It's chaos as the furious crowd hurl a series of objects onto the pitch, one of which strikes the linesman who needs two minutes of treatment. Disgraceful scenes.

74' Bosnia almost snatch back a goal. Pjanic hits a free-kick from 35 yards wonderfully well and Eduardo produces a flying save to tip the ball over the bar.

72' Queiroz makes his first move and it's a strange one. Nani - Portugal's best player up to now - comes off and on comes striker Edinho.

71' Raul Meireles bursts through after a wonderful chipped pass from Simao and hits a fine shot first-time with his left foot that flies just past the post.

67' Portugal again a whisker away from scoring a second. Nani again causes chaos on the wing, with Liedson just failing to get enough on his shot which is deflected wide.

66' Suddenly Bosnia look set to score and as a dangerous cross fizzes across the box but Paulo Ferreira produces an outstanding interception to prevent a certain goal.

65' Bosnia's attack have been desperately disappointing after being talked up so much. Another ball is pumped into the box and for the umpteenth time Bruno Alves jumps highest to clear the danger.

64' Dzeko almost bursts through but the burly striker is pulled up by the referee for handball.

63' The ball switches to the other end of the field, and Paulo Ferreira makes a timely interception.

62' Duda is looking good coming forward. A dangerous break by the Malaga man ends with a cross that flies into the side-netting.

60' Portugal surely can't let it slip now. Bosnia need three goals to turn it around, but it's Portugal who look the more likely. Simao again comes close to wriggling through on goal.

57' Superb spell from Portugal. Two quick breaks set up chances for Simao then Meireles but both chances are spurned. It's proving too much for Dzeko who picks up a yellow card for fierce protests.

55' GOAL!!!!!!!!!! Raul Meireles makes up for his first-half miss with an all-important goal!!! Liedson and Nani combine perfectly to play in Meireles, who, cool as you like slots the ball into the corner of the net. South Africa here we come.

52' Nani does well to win a throw-in deep in the Bosnia half despite being outnumbered. The Manchester United winger has provided a good outlet to relieve the pressure tonight.

50' Bosnia come straight back. Pjanic hits a dangerous shot narrowly wide.

48' Portugal close to scoring again!!! Nani produces a brilliant turn in the box to create a scoring opportunity for himself, and Bosnia are again saved by their goalkeeper!

47' Danger for Portugal. Dzeko looks to be clean through but the referee blows for offside. In any event Eduardo had smothered the shot bravely.

46' Striker Muslimovic comes on for midfielder Medunjanin.


Portugal will be happy to have maintained their lead in a poor quality first-half, no doubt influenced by the importance of what is at stake and the poor quality of the pitch. Indeed Carlos Queiroz's team created by only clear chance of the half, with Raul Meireles failing to take advantage of a one-on-one opportunity. Portugal 45 minutes from South Africa?


45' Half-time whistle goes.

44' Ball comes back towards the Portugal goal, with Duda showing good composure to run the ball upfield away from the danger zone.

42' Good spell of pressure by Bosnia. A dangerous break by Dzeko ends with a dangerous low cross that Ferreira hacks away for a corner. Danger is cleared.

39' Simao conducts another rapid counter-attack for Portugal, eventually finding Duda who delays his shot and is croweded out. The ball quickly switches to the other end of the pitch where a cross is comfortably pouched by Eduardo.

37' Nadarevic is shown the yellow card for a nasty challenge on Liedson.

34' Real danger for Portugal! Dzeko does superbly well to hold up the ball and set up Ibisevic who hits a powerful shot towards goal but it flies wide.

33' Another sensational interception by Pepe snuffs out danger near the corner flag.

31' Portugal are slowly imposing their passing game, but the poor playing surface is making it difficult. Simao is betrayed by the ball taking a crazy bounce of a divet.

29' Just as well for Portugal that injury doubt Bruno Alves was passed fit for the match. The centre-back makes two monster clearances after jumping about a mile in the air.

26'   Two yellow cards in quick succession for Jahic and Simao for a poorly timed tackles.

24' Portugal a whisker away from taking the lead!!! Superb counter-attack led by Duda ends with Tiago setting up Meireles who is clean through. The FC Porto midfielder's shot is saved by Hasagic with his legs and Meireles immediately puts his head in his hands. Great chance goes begging.

22' More commanding play from Pepe in the middle of the park. It's a scrappy game, and with one quarter of the match gone neither goalkeeper has had a serious save to make.

18' Portugal have a good spell of possession in the Bosnia half, but the hosts break and Ibisevic fires in a low shot that a diving Eduardo gathers on the ground.

15' Two chances for Bosnia in quick succession. Duda is caught out and forces Ricardo Carvalho into an excellent last-ditch tackle. The ball comes back into the box and Dzeko gets his head on it but the ball is deflected over the bar. The corner comes to nothing.

14' Nani picks up a loose clearance and tries his luck from distance, but the shot goes high and wide.

13' Portugal look dangerous on the counter-attack. Nani fails by a whisker to play in Liedson.

10' Pepe looks to be continuing his fine form from the first leg, not giving his oppositors any chance in one against ones or in the air.

9' Duda gives away a corner with a defective clearance. The defence holds firm again.

6' Danger in the Portugal box. The Bosnians find a way through the right side of Portugal's defence and cause panic close to goal. Pepe clears the danger but Tiago gives away a careless free-kick. Bruno Alves, imperious in the air, deals with the danger.

5' First corner and first chance and it's Portugal who create the danger. Simao's delivery is met by Tiago whose header is on target but to close to Hasagic, who saves comfrortably.

3' Pepe gets a painful blow on the head but shrugs it off. Another long ball is hit high towards the Portugal area. Bruno Alves deals with the danger.

1' The first 60 seconds give an indication of what we can probably expect from this game. An early free-kick for the hosts is pumped into the box. Portugal's defence clears to Nani who tries to launch a counter-attack, winning a free-kick.


The Portuguese national anthem is played but one can hardly hear a note as the band is completely drowned out by a deafening chorus of boos reverburating around the stadium. That will earn the Bosnians few friends, and if the Portuguese players needed firing up, that should do the trick. The home national anthem is sung in full voice. 

Kick-off approaches at the small but packed stadium. Deco has failed to shake off the injury he picked up in the first leg and starts the match on the bench. His place is taken by Tiago. Apart from that, it's an unchanged line-up for Portugal. Bosnia also are hit with an injury blow, as playmaker Misimovic is out injured, not even fit enough for a place on the bench.

Starting line-ups:

Subs: Asmir Begovic, Adnan Mravac, Damir Mirvic, Dzemal Berberovic, Ninoslav Milenkovic, Dario Damjanovic, Zlatan Muslimovic

Portugal:

Eduardo, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Bruno Alves, Duda, Pepe, Raul Meireles, Tiago, Nani, Liedson, Simao.

Subs: Hilario, Miguel, Deco, Rolando, Miguel Veloso, Hugo Almeida, Edinho  

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!

 Yellow Card

Red Card