Portugal 2-0 Argentina
If you'd asked Portuguese football fans three months ago about their country's prospects at the Brazilian Olympic Games, most would have said a medal was a reasonable possibility. If you'd asked the same fans the same question three days ago most would have said those medal hopes had gone up in smoke during the farcical selection process. If you ask the same fans the same question today, they may be ready to revise their opinion again.
In the knowledge that the squad has been put together with 3rd and 4th choice players in many instances, Portugal's Olympians put on a display reminiscent in many ways of their senior counterparts at Euro 2016. A performance full of heart, belief and no little skill was rewarded with a 2-0 victory over Argentina thanks to second half strikes from Gonçalo Paciência and Pité.
But this match was very different to what we saw in France, where tactical discipline was a key factor in the Seleção's triumph. Today's tournament opener for both sides was a super advert for Olympic Games football, with both teams contributing to an entertaining 90 minutes full of open attacking football, aided it has to be said by a fair share of imprudent passing and loose possession play in the defensive thirds.
Fernandes on fire
Portugal started well and man-of-the-match Bruno Fernandes had the ball in the net early on, only for the clinical finish into the top corner to be ruled out by a marginal offside decision. Fernandes came close twice more in the early stages, and with André Martins and Salvador Agra full of confidence, Portugal's attack put together some lovely flowing moves.
But Argentina responded well and dominated the match in the half hour either side of the interval. Portugal centre-back Edgar Ié averted what seemed like a certain goal for the South Americans when he deflected a goal-bound shot over the bar, before a Cuesta header and a Gomez shot scraped just past the post. Argentina came even closer early in the second half as Calleri raced clear, lobbed over goalkeeper Varela but watched in despair as the ball hit the bar.
From that moment onwards though, Portugal began to regain their composure and gradually pushed Argentina back, whipping in a series of dangerous crosses from both sides of the pitch. And on 68 minutes the Seleção took the lead as Gonçalo Paciência collected a Fernandes pass 25 yards out, and given time and space by the Argentine defence he needed no second invitation as he powered a wonderful low shot into the corner of the net.
Rulli clanger
As was to be expected, Argentina threw men forward in an attempt to get level, but a combination of excellent last ditch defending and solid goalkeeping from Varela kept La Albiceleste at bay. Portugal had chances on the break, and made one count when Pité struck a speculative shot from 30 yards that the otherwise excellent Argentina goalkeeper Rulli somehow let squirm under his body and into the net.
Portugal had chances for further goals as Argentina fell apart, but more than a 2-goal winning margin would have been harsh on the Blue and Whites, who cannot be ruled out as a medal contender at the Games.
A medal contender is what many may now consider Portugal after a perfect start to the tournament. It is all the more remarkable given what manager Rui Jorge called the "surreal" process of constructing his squad, when he had to contact 57 players because clubs continually refused to release their players.
On the very day he announced the squad Jorge admitted he would only be giving 17 rather than 18 names because 40 minutes before the announcement a club had phoned him to say he could not take a player he had selected for Brazil. Injuries then took their toll with two more replacements (one of which was one of tonight's goalscorers Pité) having to be called up at the last minute.
No matter. It is apparently written in the stars that 2016 will be a glorious summer for Portuguese football...
by Tom Kundert
