There is plenty to think about for Seleção coach Fernando Santos after Portugal’s penultimate friendly game before naming the World Cup squad ended in a dramatic victory against Egypt in Zurich tonight.
Portugal had the better of the first half with Raphael Guerreiro and Rúben Neves standing out, but the performance level dropped after the break and Egypt took the lead through an excellent Mo Salah goal shortly before the hour mark.
A disjointed Portugal looked to be headed for defeat, until that man Cristiano Ronaldo scored two headers in stoppage time – both from crosses by substitute Ricardo Quaresma – to turn defeat into victory.
Santos stuck to his favoured 4-4-2 formation, with the back four comprising first-choice full-backs Cédric Soares and Raphael Guerreiro, with Bruno Alves and Rolando at the heart of the defence in the absence of the injured Pepe. In midfield Rúben Neves and João Moutinho were flanked by Bernardo Silva on the right and João Mário left (although both tended to drift infield), with the usual pairing of Cristiano Ronaldo and André Silva up front.
Beto alert
Portugal started brightly with no fewer than five chances coming Ronaldo’s way in the opening 15 minutes, the enterprising and energetic Raphael Guerreiro – showing no ill effects of an injury-ravaged season – looking especially lively as he pushed up to lend support to the attack. That said, the closest either side came to early goal was at the other end, Beto doing well to race off his line quickly and deny El Said in the 7th minute.
It was a rare moment of danger from Egypt, who although stringing together some neat passing moves lacked penetration in the final third.
Portugal continued to take the initiative, occasionally showing real flair, as when Rúben Neves sprayed a marvellous 50-yard cross-field ball (his passing was largely excellent throughout) to Ronaldo, who controlled the ball instantly, bamboozled his marker before touching it to Guerreiro, whose cross was met by an acrobatic Bernardo volley that was blocked by a defender.
In the 27th minute Portugal benefited from an indirect free kick inside the area as the Egyptian goalkeeper El Shenawy picked up a back-pass. With the entire Egyptian team lined up in front of the goal Ronaldo fired under the wall, but El Said stuck out his foot to make an excellent block on the line.
Portugal had the ball in the net in the 42nd minute but Rolando’s header was ruled out for offside, the correctness of the decision confirmed after consultation with the VAR.
Salah strikes
Fernando Santos did not make any substitutions at the break, perhaps hoping Portugal would convert their superiority into goals, but it was the Egyptians who struck first through star man Mohamed Salah. The Liverpool forward started a swift passing move, received a return pass on the edge of the box and guided a firm first-time left-foot shot low into the net past Beto’s despairing dive.
The goal completely knocked the Seleção off their rhythm, and with multiple substitutions made by both teams the game became disjointed with Portugal unable to recreate the flowing football seen in the first half.
Of the Portugal substitutes, Bruno Fernandes initially made the most difference, playing some accurate long-range passes and testing the Egypt goalkeeper with a fierce shot from distance, while both Gonçalo Guedes and Gelson added urgency and speed, the latter forcing El Shenawy into another sharp save after playing a one-two with Ronaldo.
Deadly combo turn it around
But it was Quaresma who would take on the role of super-sub, something he has made himself an expert at under the stewardship of Fernando Santos (who can forget his match-winning goal against Croatia).
The Besiktas winger received a raking pass from Rolando on the left flank in the 92nd minute, looked to the box and sent over a sumptuous cross to his fellow former Sporting graduate and great friend Ronaldo to head in the equaliser.
But the Quaresma-Ronaldo double act wasn’t done yet. Quaresma won a free kick in the dying seconds of the match, this time on the opposite flank, and again produced a perfect delivery for the captain to power a header into the net. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but after consultation with the VAR it was validated and Portugal had won the match.
Conclusions
There were several positives to be taken: Raphael Guerreiro showed surprisingly good fitness and proved once again what a huge asset he is to the team, Rolando looked composed at centre-back, Bruno Fernandes played a promising cameo, and the Quaresma-Ronaldo chemistry is still very much within its best before date.
Nevertheless, Santos will surely not let the result mask a flat performance for most of the second half, recovered in somewhat chaotic all-out attack mode rather than through any discernible tactical plan. The coach has an abundance of options and top-class midfield and attacking talent at his disposal but faces a difficult task in finding the right combination.
Next up, the Netherlands on Monday.
By Tom Kundert
Portugal XI: Beto, Cédric, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Raphael Guerreiro, Rúben Neves (Bruno Fernandes, 76’), Bernardo Silva (Gelson Martins, 68’), João Moutinho (André Gomes, 61’), João Mário (Ricardo Quaresma, 61’), Cristiano Ronaldo, André Silva (Gonçalo Guedes, 76’)
Egypt: Ahmed El Shenawy, Ahmed Fathy, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazy, Abdel Shafy, Tarek Hamed, Elneny, Abdallah Said, Trezeguet, Salah, Hassan
Goals:
[0-1] Mohamed Salah, 56’
[1-1] Cristiano Ronaldo, 92’
[2-1] Cristiano Ronaldo, 94’
