Low-key Portugal beat China
Portugal 2-0 China
 It was a game of two halves in Coimbra as the Seleccao followed up an enterprising first-half display with a disappointing second 45 minutes in a 2-0 victory over a poor China team tonight. Strikers Hugo Almeida and Liedson scored the goals.
Carlos Queiroz explained in the lead-up to this match that China had been chosen as opponents for this friendly in preparation for the challenge posed by North Korea – Portugal’s second Group G match in South Africa. But on this evidence it is difficult to image the Koreans offering such flimsy resistance as the Chinese.
After a quiet opening period to the match Portugal stepped on the gas and scythed through the China back line at will with some excellent wing play and quick combinations, especially involving Ronaldo and Duda on the left wing.
Chances galore
A series of chances came and were not taken advantage of, owing both to poor finishing and some excellent goalkeeping by Zhang Lu. Ronaldo, Nani and Almeida in particular will feel they missed out on a chance of increasing their international goal tally, while Duda sent a free-kick crashing against the bar.
The goal eventually arrived in the 35th minute. Ronaldo had been terrorising the right side of the China defence all night, and the Real Madrid man showed great strength to win an aerial battle on the halfway line before sprinting forward and playing an inch perfect pass between the two retreating defenders to Hugo Almeida who smashed the ball into the net.
Instead of opening the floodgates the goal appeared to take all sense of urgency out of Portugal’s play. Things got worse after a series of half-time substitutions that had the unwanted effect of undoing any semblance of cohesion from the hosts.
Crowd unhappy
The only excitement in a dreary half of football came from the occasional Varela burst, and as China grew in confidence Rolando was somewhat fortunate not to be pulled up for what appeared a foul in the box that should have led to a penalty. The increasingly frustrated crowd let their feelings known about the lacklustre display by booing and whistling the home team.
In the dying seconds Moutinho’s shot on goal was deflected fortuitously into the net by his Sporting team-mate Liedson.
All in all it was a largely forgettable match unless your name was Silvestre Varela or Henrique Hilario, both of whom earned their senior international debuts to take the number of players handed a first cap by Queiroz to a remarkable 16 in less than two years in the post.
by Tom Kundert
Portugal:
Eduardo (Hilario, 46), Paulo Ferreira, Rolando, Bruno Alves (Tonel, 63), Duda (Miguel, 46), Raul Meireles, Tiago (Pedro Mendes, 46), Simao (Joao Moutinho, 46), Cristiano Ronaldo (Liedson, 46), Hugo Almeida, Nani (Varela, 62)
China:
Zhang Lu, Cao Yang (Zhao Xuri, 46), Du Wei, Wang Qiang, Rong Hao, Shao Jiayi (Jiang Ning, 46), Zhang Linpeng, Qu Bo (Gang Wang, 61), Zheng Zhi (Liu Jianye, 72), Yu Hai (Hao Junmin, 53), Gao Lin (Zhang, 46)
Yellow Cards: Wang Gang
Goals:
[1-0] Hugo Almeida, 35
[2-0] Liedson, 94
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You seem to have talent to get your facts wrong. There is 18% unemployment in Spain and not 50%. John is correct about the USA having 50 million people without healthcare - your president has said so many times on television. In response to what has happened in Iceland, this was a result of Icelandic Banks heavy exposure in the American banking system ( fraudulent American banking activity). Furthermore, Americans are the biggest consumers of drugs, and this has contributed the massive drug trade from South American to the USA. I'm very proud to be Spanish, eventhough we have many problems in Spain. It's clear to me you are not really a Portuguese at heart, but a very self-righteous American. I feel sorry for you.
MADAIL/QUEIROZ: IF YOU WANT FAN SUPPORT, SHOW US WHAT YOU CAN DO. I WOULD NOT GO SEE ANOTHER PORTUGAL CHINA IF YOU PAID ME...
You are a very ignorant american. The only country that is backwards is the USA. Which country has 50 million people without any healthcare coverage? Which country allows their citizens the right to arm themselves for self-defence? Which country was responsible for this world-wide financial meltdown? Which country has the majority of their population grossly obese? Which country has insatiable appetite for drugs and thus is directly responsible for the world-wide drug trade? Which country has inner cities that are plagued with gang violence & drugs? Answer: USA. Portugal is paradise compared to the USA and most of the countries in the world. Nuno do the Portuguese people a favour, stay in the USA for your summer vacation. Moron.
The second half was full of players who have never played together for a consistent amount of time so obviously it is going to take them a while to figure each other out. I do think CQ should be getting his first 11 to play together more often though so that they can gel/get to know each other more before the world cup starts.
Semper Fidelis Portugal
Heres the catch: Do we want hard-workers or flops? Do we want players in form or out of form? Do we want to be realistic even if it means putting our club's pride on the line? In the seleccaos record who has a good scoring record(postiga sucks in club soccer but in seleccao the guy scores timely goals)?
We do not need to look hard at these questions; the answer is clear. We havent found it and thats the problem. If i criticize "simao" it is not because hes a former benfica its because hes shit on the team. Im sorry benfica fans but he is. Nani makes poor plays but he works the wing.
Varela by far exceeds simao is pace, work ethic, and determination. He is not as skilled as simao or a good leader like simao. Listen closely. Hes not as SKILLED AS SIMAO. But what simao lacks VARELA HAS which is PACE.
Moutinho is talented guys. He is a leader too and we cant forget it. He hasnt blended in yet but he will.
Speaking of benfica? We lack goals do we not? Bring in Makukula please. This guy has a great record on the seleccao 1 game and 1 goal. Guys listen Makukula is not talented but hes strong and he finally is building confidence. As a forward STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE is needed. Liedson and almeida are too weak. Bring in MR.GOAL for one friendly.
Give maku a shot Queer-eyes!
Ruben Micael is needed... do i even need to argue this? Look at the midfield.
all goals nice and LOWWWWW
Forca
I truly feel Quiroz is a stepping stone until Jose Mourinho becomes coach. There might even have to be someone after Quiroz until Mourinho is coach. Mourinho is the right coach because he is use to dealing with big personality, high expectations and everything that comes with being a coach for Portugal.
One thing I did see yesterday that I liked was CR7 directing players on the field waving them over on a throw in and acting like a captain. CR7, Simao, Carvalho, B. Avles and Pepe (if healthy) all stepping up their leadership and intensity if this team in going deep into this WC. Because i dont feel like Quiroz has it in him to do it.
Just my thoughts.
Here I 100% agree with Danny from USA He pointed out real truth about the last night's selection of CQ.
Yes the whole game sucked but you just don't do that.
It's embarassing and it serves no purpose (well other sinking the players confidence)
1) As much Duda is deplorable not because he is not a LB but because his passing is bad. We are likely stuck with him. Veloso is an option but I don't think LB will work. Is there better options -- I doubt it.
2) Mendes for being a great professional is not a national team player. He is a nice journeyman, I wish the lost feast for him would end.
3) Moutinho, enough said ... he is more of a leader than a player. I wish he was both and a player first.
4) Meireles -- wasteful but he is an energy guy who runs and provides cover. He will be in the starting 11 ... do we have someone better? Probably in potentail but one is stepping up.
5) Tiago, solid player but not great ... but do we have anyone better?
6) Paulo F - what can you say ... nice locker room guy and there are not too many options. He is likely on the squad but won't start. Things are bad when he is a better LB option the Duda.
I think Varela, Micael, and Veloso have spots on this team and I hope they make the squad but don't expect to see too many suprises on this team.
Bottom line is that this Portugal is not a #5 in the world and I have low expectations in the WC. I think the future looks better for 2012.
LET'S SEE THAT WE HAD SOME POSITIVE POINTS OUT OF THIS MATCH:
1- we have seen for the first time 2 wingers(Nani and Simao) and a second striker(Ronado) playing together with another center forward(Almeida)...It's true we're still missing the final touch!But the first half was a perfect one!
2-Varela took his chance and imagine what he can do while playing with nani and ronaldo
3- We were sure yesterday that our second match against North Korea will get us an easy 3 points and at least 3 goals scored!Since the team that played in the second half did not include any of our keys such as Ronaldo and Simao!And even they were not willing to score!They were there just to prove that they can possess the ball!
4- Don't forget that 3 major players were missed: Deco Bosingwa and Pepe...And even the clear substitute of Deco who is supposed to be Ruben Micael was not there at all!
So come on guys, let us be optimistic and hope to make it, don't forget that the Ivorians lost against South Korea, which is a bit better than N.Korea, and Italy did not have the chance to score, Germany lost, France Lost...So we were among the best in these Friendly games!And don't forget that the U-23 team scored 7 goals against Wales!
Come on! FORCA PORTUGAAAAAAAL!
In addition to that for all the great thing we hear about Queiroz being a super smart coach we are not seeing it for games, cuz look his only tactic for us is run down the wing and cross this is 1990 style tactics every coach knows how to organize their defense for this.
Portugal needs to be more direct at times.. or maybe he plans to try this at the WC.
For me after this game - Duda, Ferreira and Mendes should all be 'Left Back' from the WC squad.
Still need some work done on our tactics..
Queiroz did what he needed to here. The point of this game was not to blow China out of the water. The first half showed that we can do that. Instead, the game was to give a variety of players the chance to work together in the national team so that they can continue to learn each other's habits and, more importantly, for Queiroz to assess his options. We're not talking about starting eleven. We're talking about the maybes, the bench. Obviously Ronaldo and Simão and Nani and Carvalho and Alves and... will all be there. But who should be the third goalie? What position should Ferreira fill, if any? Can Rolando keep up with the big boys? Who fills Pepe's place if he doesn't recover? Is Tiago or Mourinho more reliable? These are the types of questions that Queiroz is trying to answer - as he should. He only called up 18 players for the game, intending to use every one of them. In other words, he knew ahead of time exactly who he would substitute, not because the game needed it, but because he's doing his research well.
That being said, the second half was a major disappointment. The cast of characters from Sporting did about as well against China as they have in the Liga this season - dismally. Let's be thankful that's not our first string!
The second half was like watching paint dry. Youre playing against CHINA! ATTACK. Passing the ball around, waisting time just pisses off everybody. The worst team in the liga sagres could hammer this Chinese side. If they continued with the strenght they had in the first half they could of racked up 5,6, maybe 7 goals. I was not that upset to see Queiroz take out Ronaldo, Simao etc. I fully expected the subs to come in and work their asses off to earn a place in the seleccao, but come on. At first I thought Varela was going to add some intensity, but he lossed the ball to often and wasted a scoring oppertunity with a shot that might have reached the estadio do dragao.
There is no excuse to just call it quits after scoring the first goal. Stop experimenting! We need a solid team that can rack up goals. I am still confident that we can beat the koreans, but I fear that unless we put the ball in the back of the net it could be another nail bitting 1-0 win where we take 50 shots and only 1 goes in. Good news is that the mighty elephants of the Ivory Coast were embarrassed by the south koreans 2-0 and that Brazil were far from impressive in their 2-0 win over ireland.
Does anybody know if this is the last friendly before the Copa?
Varela was okay, like Tom K. said he had some good runs instantly when he entered but he did lose the ball a couple times but not bad.
If most of you guys thought The China Friendly was a head scratcher of an oppenent then you might not be too pleased with the game in May and 2 in June. (This is all via Espn.com World Cup Section)
May 24- Cape Verde
June 1st( Good test)- Cameroon-Good test against team with another great striker in that of Eto ie like Droba for Ivory Coast. Bassong out Of Tottenham for Cameroon not too bad either.
June 8th- Mozambique- I like the 2 last friendlies they way they set up in that they are 2 African teams so we should be fready for the Ivorians on the 15th. Mozambique obviuosly lesser team but dont want to play a tough oppenent 1 week prioer to playing an already tough match with Ivorians.
Mantenha os amigos de fé como nós começamos mais perto da Copa do Mundo, estaremos prontos