Final Group D Matches

Portgual vs Mexico and Angola vs Iran

Portugal 2 : 1 Mexico

Team Line-ups

Portugal (4-5-1)

1-Ricardo; 13-Miguel, 16-Ricardo Carvalho, 5-Fernando Meira, 3-Marco Caneira; 8-Armando Petit, 18-Maniche, 19-Tiago, 7-Luis Figo, 11-Simao Sabrosa; 23-Helder Postiga

Mexico (5-3-2)

1-Oswaldo Sanchez; 16-Mario Mendez, 4-Rafael Marquez, 5-Ricardo Osorio, 3-Carlos Salcido, 14-Gonzalo Pineda; 22-Francisco Rodriguez, 23-Luis Perez, 8-Pavel Pardo; 17-Jose Fonseca, 19-Omar Bravo Referee: Lubos Michel (Slovakia) Linesmen: Roman Slysko (Slovakia) Martin Balko (Slovakia)

Iran (4-4-1-1)

1-Ebrahim Mirzapour; 13-Hosein Kaebi, 5-Rahman Rezaei, 3-Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh, 20-Mohammad Nosrati; 2-Mehdi Mahdavikia, 7-Ferydoon Zandi, 21-Mehrzad Madanchi, 14-Andranik Taymoorian; 9-Vahid Hashemian; 10-Ali Daei Coach: Branko Ivankovic

Angola (4-5-1)

1-Joao Ricardo; 20-Loco, 3-Jamba, 5-Kali, 21-Delgado; 17-Ze Kalanga, 6-Miloy, 7-Figueiredo, 11-Mateus, 14-Mendonca; 10-Akwa Coach: Luis Oliveira Goncalves Referee: Mark Shield (Australia) Linesmen: Nathan Gibson (Australia), Ben Wilson (Australia)

Kick Off between Portugal and Mexico

1. min.
Mexico go on the attack from the start. Portugal are missing five of their top players including Deco, Pauletta and Ronaldo

2. min.
Mexico have a great chance to score but the Portuguese keeper manages to keep the ball out.

4. min.
Portugal have their first foray forward but Mexico clear and send the ball downfield.

6. min.
GOAL !!!!
Maniche's scores for Portugal..

6. min.
Beautiful goal for Portugal. Simao made a darting run on the left side and crossed the ball in the back of the Mexican defense to set up Maniche who slotted home from inside the box. No chance for Sanchez in the Mexican goal.

8. min.
Portugal are on top now. Mexico shocked by the early goal. They need at least a draw to be sure of qualifying for the next round.

10. min.
Portugal are passing the ball around in defense waiting for their opportunity to go forward. Mexico are clearly stunned.

12. min.
Portugal play a ball into the box after some neat passing play around the area but Mexico clear the danger.

13. min.
A tactical game at the moment with both sides giving each other lots of space to pass the ball

15. min.
Fifteen minutes gone and the fast and furious start has tailed off somewhat. Portugal happy with their lead and Mexico trying to get back in the game.

17. min.
Mexico float a ball into the box but it's easily cleared.

18. min.
Mexico are going nowhere. Long balls from the back are easily tackled by the solid Portuguese defense.

20. min.
Figo gains a corner and takes it himself. The ball comes back to the midfielder who darts into the box but his cross is caught by Sanchez.

21. min.
YELLOW FOR FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ
Maniche makes a run deep into the Mexican half and is brought down on the edge of the box by Rodriguez.

23. min.
The free kick is driven straight into the wall and goes out for corner for Portugal.

23. min.
PENALTY FOR PORTUGAL
Penalty for a handball in the box by Marquez

24. min.
GOAL FOR PORTUGAL
Simao scores from the penalty spot with a powerful and well placed strike.

25. min.
Portugal are cruising now. Two goals up after 25 minutes with five top players out and Mexico now have to have an eye on the game between Iran and Angola.

27. min.
Portugal almost go three up. Postiga heads towards goal and his shot is saved and bounces into the path of Tiago but he can't get over the ball and it flies over the bar.

29. min.
Ricardo makes a great save for Portugal after Bravo latches on the end of a cross. Portugal lucky not to have conceded a goal.

30. min.
GOAL FOR MEXICO
Fonseca jumps unchallenged in the box and heads home for Mexico from a corner. What a game now!!!!!!!!!!!

32. min.
The game is really open now. Portugal were cruising but Mexico kept battling and are now on the attack again but it comes to nothing.

34. min.
Miguel dances into the box and almost gets past his man but it's cleared for a corner and Mexico head out and play the ball downfield.

37. min.
The game has dropped in pace slightly after the past few minutes of end to end action.

38. min.
Free-kick from Simao low and hard into the box but Mexico's Salcido clears for a corner.

39. min.
Fonseca is free in the box and heads towards goal but he's ruled offside.

40. min.
Mexico need another goal to book their place in the next round. And at the moment it could go either way with both teams playing flowing, attacking football.

41. min.
Miguel drives into the Mexican half and plays a lovely crossfield pass to Figo. The captain supplies Tiago who blasts towards goal but hits a Mexican defender.

43. min.
Maniche tries a long-range shot from 35 meters but no problem for Sanchez.

44. min.
Wonderful strike from Pardo from outside the box draws great save from Ricardo.

45. min.
Mexico almost grab the equalizer as Fonseca tries to get on the end of a cross but clatters into Ricardo who needs treatment.

45+1. min.
Portugal are riding their luck at the moment and are fortunate to still be ahead. Ricardo is back on his feet for Portugal.

45+1. min.
One minute of stoppage time to be played.

45+2. min.
HALF TIME
Half time in Gelsenkirchen after a highly entertaining and exhilarating 45 minutes. Portugal deservedly took the lead through Maniche and doubled it with Simao's penalty. Mexico took a long time to recover from the shock but clawed a goal back through Fonseca and were unlucky not to have equalized before the break. We can look forward to an entertaining second half as Mexico go in search of that all important goal.

46. min.
SECOND HALF KICKS OFF


47. min.
Mexico start the second knowing they need a goal to be safe.

49. min.
Mexico are pushing forward looking for a goal but Portugal remain solid at the back and clear the danger.

50. min.
Fonseca almost through on the edge of the box but couldn't control the ball.

51. min.
Fonseca is everywhere at the moment and gains a free kick for Mexico 40 meters out

52. min.
Petit fires the ball in and it whizzes just past the post for a Portugal goal kick.

53. min.
Portugal have control of the ball now and attempt their first real attack of the second half. But Mexico are defending well.

55. min.
Fonseca has a shot on goal from the edge of the box after a lovely lay-off from Bravo but it is easily saved by Ricardo.

57. min.
PENALTY FOR MEXICO
Penalty for Mexico after Perez is brought down in the box

58. min.
PENALTY MISSED
Bravo's penalty goes high and wide and Portugal count themselves lucky.

60. min.
Mexico have gotten over the missed penalty and are pushing forward for the equalizer.

60. min.
PEREZ SENT OFF!!
Perez is sent off for diving in the box after the whole stadium thought Mexico had been awarded another penalty. Mexico are down to ten men and have an uphill battle now.

63. min.
Mexico are still in control of the game and Bravo misses a golden opportunity with only the keeper to beat as Mexico break the offside trap.

65. min.
Mexico deserve to be on level terms now but they have simply not taken their chances.

66. min.
Tiago has a shot on goal from outside the box but his shot goes left and wide.

68. min.
Angola have taken the lead against Iran and Mexico are now level on points with the Africans but just ahead on goal difference

70. min.
Substitution
Nuno Gomes comes on for Postiga

71. min.
Substition
Castro comes on for Pineda for Mexico

72. min.
Substitute Gomes almost scores for Portugal but blasts the ball over the bar from five meters out.

74. min.
Mexico are still pushing forward knowing that Angola are leading and breathing down their necks.

75. min.
Mendez wins a corner for Mexico but the ball is cleared. Ten men Mexico definitely have the upper hand but can't manage to score and risk leaving themselves open at the back.

77. min.
Portugal are really taking their time on free kicks much to the dislike of the Mexican fans in the stadium.

79. min.
Mexico are throwing everything forward now but with a man down they are finding the going tough against a strong Portuguese defense.

80. min.
PORTUGAL SUBSTITUTION
Figo is substituted for Luis Boa Morte

82. min.
Iran have equalized against Angola which means that Mexico can breathe easy again. As things stand they are through behind Portugal.

83. min.
Marquez crashes into his own goalkeeper as he clears a square ball across the box. Sanchez needs treatment but is back on his feet.

85. min.
Mexico are starting to look tired safe in the knowledge that they are probably through to the next round.

86. min.
Portugal are passing the ball around in defense playing down the remaining minutes but Mexico are still fighting for the equalizer

88. min.
BOA MORTE YELLOW CARD
Boa Morte is carded by the referee

89. min.
Mexico free kick flashes across goal but no-one there to put it in.

90. min.
As the game enters stoppage time Mexico continue to attack in search of the goal they deserve after fine play in the second half.

90+2. min.
3 minutes of stoppage time added.

90+3. min.
FULL TIME IN GELSENKIRCHEN

PORTUGAL HANG ON FOR A NARROW VICTORY
Portugal manage to hang on against a brave ten man Mexico, which missed a penalty and a number of other fantastic opportunities to score and are made to pay for those squandered chances. But despite the loss the Mexicans are though to the next round along with group winners Portugal.