The Hindu : Portugal alive and kicking

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

Portugal alive and kicking

Portugal's Pauleta (centre) slides in past Poland's Marek Kozminski (left) and goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to score his team's second goal during their Group D match at the Jeonju World Cup stadium, South Korea, on Monday. — AP

JEONJU (South Korea) June 10. Pauleta scored the second hat-trick of this year's World Cup as Portugal stayed alive in the tournament while eliminating Poland with a 4-0 win in Group D on Monday.

In the first half, Pauleta smashed in a low shot in the 14th minute, beating Poland goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek. The Liverpool 'keeper got a touch on the ball but couldn't keep it out of the net. Joao Pinto provided the cross.

The insurance goal came in the 65th as Luis Figo, the FIFA player of the year, sent in a cross for the sliding Pauleta.

Portugal 4 Poland 0

Pauleta (3), Rui Costa

``I was expecting exactly what they did today and this was why I was playing with three attackers,'' Poland coach Jerzy Engel said. ``If we had scored first their morale would have been very low.''

The Bordeaux forward made it three in the 77th, beating Poland defender Tomasz Waldoch and shooting the ball off Dudek's foot. He nearly added another in the 75th, but after beating Dudek he shot into the side netting.

Rui Costa made it 4-0 in the 87th. He should have added a fifth in the 90th, but his soft shot was stopped on the line.

Poland's best chance came on the counterattack in the 67th as Pawel Kryszalowicz made a nice run into the area, but his shot from a tough angle was saved by Portugal goalkeeper Victor Baia's leg.

Marcin Zewlakow had another chance for the Polish in the 74th, but his shot went into the side of the net.

``Unfortunately we couldn't score the goals,'' Engel said. ``Unfortunately we were too weak in this group to pass.''

Portugal controlled the majority of the possession in the match, which was mostly played in driving rain.

In their final group matches on Friday, Portugal plays South Korea while Poland faces the United States. The U.S. and South Korea played to a 1-1 tie earlier and share top place in the group with four points.

Considered the Group D favourite following a much-acclaimed qualifying campaign, the Portuguese were upset 3-2 by the United States last Wednesday.

``The big difference was the team spirit,'' Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira said. ``With this type of attitude ... it's easier to get the victories that the Portuguese have been used to in the past 11 years.''

But Poland also lost in an upset, going down 2-0 to co-host South Korea. Both sides are playing in their first World Cup since 1986.

Poland, which joined previously eliminated China, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Slovenia, won its last World Cup match against Portugal, a 1-0 victory in Mexico in '86.

``We weren't as good as we thought we were,'' Engel said.

Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira was celebrating his 50th birthday.

Poland's Piotr Swierczewski, who got his yellow card of the tournament in the 21st minute, will miss the team's final group match.

The teams: Portugal: 1-Vitor Baia; 2-Jorge Costa, 5-Fernando Couto (c), 7-Luis Figo, 8-Joao Pinto (10-Rui Costa, 60), 9-Pauleta, 11-Sergio Conceicao (19-Capucho, 69), 17-Paulo Bento, 20-Petit, 18-Nuno Frechaut (22-Beto, 63), 23-Rui Jorge.

Poland: 1-Jerzy Dudek; 4-Michal Zewlakow (5-Tomasz Rzasa, 71), 6-Tomasz Hajto, 15-Tomasz Waldoch (c), 7-Piotr Swierczewski, 10-Radoslaw Kaluzny (17-Arkadiusz Bak, 17), 18-Jacek Krzynowek, 21-Marek Kozminski, 9-Pawel Kryszalowicz; 19-Maciej Zurawski (14-Marcin Zewlakow, 56), 11-Emmanuel Olisadebe.

Referee: Hugh Dallas (Scotland).

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