PORTUGAL LATEST NEWS

[verde-rubro]

Luis Figo is urging Portugal fans not to judge coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and his much-changed team until after Euro 2004.

Portugal have failed in six attempts to beat sides joining them in Euro 2004 in a series of friendly internationals since Scolari took over early last year. The players were booed off after a 2-1 defeat by Italy in their last game.

The chances of Portugal breaking that sequence against Sweden on Wednesday have been hit by the absence of five players from Champions League semi-finalists Porto.

Regardless of the result, Figo believes it is too early to assess Scolari's effect on the team.

"The last match wasn't easy for the coach because everyone wants good results," Figo said on the eve of the game. "People should wait until the end of the tournament to analyse the results under Scolari."

Portugal went into the last World Cup as one of the favourites only to make a first-round exit.

As hosts of Euro 2004, they will once again be under pressure to do well but the recent poor results could work in their favour by reducing expectations.

"The results before a tournament don't matter, as the World Cup showed," Figo said.

"Obviously we would like to play well and win but it's better to get the poor results and the errors out of the way first."

Under Scolari, who took the job after leading Brazil to World Cup victory in Japan, Portugal have a younger look about them and Figo is waiting to see how inexperienced players such as Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo adapt to the squad.

"It's more of a mix of youth and experience now," said the Real Madrid player. "I don't know if it's a better team now. Let's see how the players grow."

Portugal are in Group A in Euro 2004, with Spain, Russia and Greece. Sweden are in Group C, with games against Italy, Denmark and Bulgaria. The tournament runs from June 12 to July 4.

[verde-rubro]

figo was the only 1 with simao pushing the team forward.

[verde-rubro]

poor ricardo ok the ball served when it hit the ground and shot up the way he had just come, but oh dear, poor ricardo

[verde-rubro]

the team is just needing some fine tuneing and with any luck they will get there when they meet up for 20 days before the big kick of, and also some luck that we have not been geting lately.

[Frank Cunha]

I like the way Meira was playing in today;s game, back and forth

I think Quim won a spot on the national team, In my 50 years I never saw a portuguese goalkeeper playing like Ricardo his doing,

I can go from Jose Pereira [Belenenses in 1966]
Bento[Benfica] and Damas[Sporting] in 1986
Carvalho [Sporting], Jose Henriques [Benfica]
Baia in the 90's and 00

[Frank Cunha]

Scouts from the top teams in Europe to check on Portuguese U17, Portugal vs England for 3rd place


PSG been scouting the portuguese team on every game, special Sandro Moreira, Rui Gomes e Bruno Gama

other teams

Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Monaco, Nantes, Auxerre, Inter de Milão, Ajax, PSV e Bayer Leverkusen, além dos já citados PSG e Rennes, entre outros, pediram acreditação.


http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=483107&idCanal=48

[Frank Cunha]

Portugal finshes in 3rd England 4 Portugal 4 Final But Portugal wins 3-2 Penalties.

Scoring Goals for Portugal

Fausto Lourenco

Joao Pedro

Bruno Gama

Joao Pedro

In Penalties

Rui Gomes

Bruno Gama

Joao Pedro

With the win Portugal qualifies for the Merdian Cup a European vs Africa Compention in 2005. Congradulations to The Portuguese.

[Frank Cunha]

Portuguese squad to get seven million bonus if win Euro 2004


May 13, 2004
LISBON (AFP) - Portugal's national team will be paid a seven-million euro (8.3-million dollar) bonus if they win the European football finals which the country will host between June 12 and July 4, sports daily Record reported.

The paper said the Portuguese football federation would pay each player in the 23-man squad 200,000 euros in case of victory with the rest of the money divided up amongst coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and other team officials.

Scolari, who led his native Brazil to a record fifth World Cup win in the Far East in 2002, will announce his squad for the finals on May 18.



Portugal have failed in all seven attempts to beat teams which will join them at Euro 2004 since Scolari took the helm of the squad in January 2003.

The Euro 2004 hosts are in Group A alongside Greece, Russia and Spain.

Portugal have two more friendly matches to come before the start of Euro 2004, against Luxembourg on May 29 and against Lithuania on June 5.



Updated

[Frank Cunha]

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/Under17/fixturesresults/round=1660/match=75438/Report=RP.html

[Frank Cunha]

4 - 4
Portugal 3 - 2 on penalties




Third Place Playoff - 15 May 2004 15:30 (Local Time)
Gaston Petit - Châteauroux


Portugal clinch consolation prize
Saturday, 15 May 2004
By Andrew Haslam at the Stade Gaston Petit



Portugal celebrate their penalty shoot-out victory


Portugal clinched third place in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory against England in Châteauroux after a remarkable game had finished 4-4 after extra time.

Dramatic win
Misses from James Walker, Levi Porter and David Wheater proved decisive and, although Hélder Barbosa also failed from the spot for Portugal, successful kicks from Bruno Gama, Rui Gomes and João Silva earned a 3-2 victory and a place in the 2005 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup.

Noble suspended
England captain Mark Noble was suspended having been dismissed in conceding the last-minute penalty from which Cesc sent Spain into the final, and coach John Peacock made three alterations in all, Nathan Doyle, Joe Lewis and Walker coming into the team. Carlos Dinis made five changes following the 2003 winners' semi-final exit at the hands of France.

Lourenço strikes
The game was an open encounter from the start, with both sides making full use of the expansive pitch. Portugal took the lead in the 14th minute with a well-worked goal, Lourenço breaking through on the left-hand side and drilling a low shot across Lewis and into the bottom corner.

Two-goal cushion
It was 2-0 ten minutes later, João Silva doubling Portugal's lead with a spectacular strike from distance. The deficit was halved almost immediately, however, as Kyel Reid's low free-kick caused confusion and Walker reacted quickest to prod in.

Reid relish
Five minutes after half-time England were level. Fraizer Campbell's powerful burst won a free-kick 25 metres from goal, and Reid's low left-footed strike curled beyond Ricardo Janota to nestle in the bottom corner of the net.

Gama glee
The goal galvanised England and Walker and Billy Jones both had presentable opportunities, but Portugal were back in front a minute before the hour. Gama collected possession on the edge of the penalty area and burst into the box before shooting low into the corner of the net.

England equaliser
A seesaw encounter was all square again three minutes later. Reid's shot was blocked, and the ball dropped perfectly for Mark Davies to send a looping header just under the crossbar. England looked the more likely scorers as the match moved towards full-time, with Campbell heading wide from a corner and Reid twice going close in the final minutes of normal time.

Red for Roberts
Campbell had two more opportunities in the first period of extra time, but England ended the half with ten men as Gary Roberts was shown the red card for a late tackle on João Pinhal.

Scoring sequence
Despite the numerical disadvantage Peacock's side went ahead for the first time with three minutes left of the second half of extra time. Reid burst strongly into the penalty area only to be brought down by Cristiano Gomes and Walker kept his composure to sidefoot in from the spot. Barely a minute later it was 4-4, Silva controlling a long ball and shooting low into the net to set up the penalty drama.

We made a number of individual mistakes and that might have cost us, but we showed a lot of spirit

Carlos Dinis


Fighting spirit
"Overall, I think we played quite well," Dinis said. "We controlled the match. We made a number of individual mistakes and that might have cost us, but we showed a lot of spirit. We also qualified for the Meridian Cup, which is very important."

English anguish
"It's a very disappointing end to the tournament for us," said Peacock. "we came into the match into a positive frame of mind and hoped that we could clinch third place and play in the Meridian Cup, which is very important for the players' development. I'm sure the spectators thoroughly enjoyed it, but we defended poorly

[Carlo Ramos]

Here is the full EURO 2004 Portugal team, with squad numbers announced yesterday, current clubs and date of births:

Goalkeepers:
1 ... Ricardo BOAVISTA 11 Feb 1976
12 ... Quim SPORTING BRAGA 13 Nov 1975
22 ... Moreira BENFICA 20 Mar 1982

Defenders:
2 ... Paulo Ferreira PORTO 18 Jan 1979
3 ... Rui Jorge SPORTING 27 Mar 1973
4 ... Jorge Andrade DEPORTIVO LA CORUNHA 9 Apr 1978
5 ... Fernando Couto LAZIO 2 Aug 1969
13 ... Miguel BENFICA 4 Jan 1980
14 ... Nuno Valente PORTO 12 Sep 1974
15 ... Beto SPORTING 3 May 1976
16 ... Ricardo Carvalho PORTO 18 May 1978

Midfielders:
6 ... Costinha PORTO 1 Dec 1974
7 ... Figo REAL MADRID 4 Nov 1972
8 ... Petit BENFICA 25 Sep 1976
10 ... Rui Costa MILAN 29 Mar 1972
11 ... Simão Sabrosa BENFICA 31 Oct 1979
18 ... Maniche PORTO 11 Nov 1977
19 ... Tiago BENFICA 2 May 1981
20 ... Deco PORTO 27 Aug 1977

Forwards:
9 ... Pauleta PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 28 Apr 1973
17 ... Cristiano Ronaldo MANCHESTER UNITED 5 Feb 1985
21 ... Nuno Gomes BENFICA 5 Jul 1976
23 ... Hélder Postiga TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 Aug 1982

[Bentex]

where is fernando meira ????????????????????

[Frank Cunha]

Scolari pick Postiga ahead of Meira and Boa Morte

[David]

What I would repair:
Quim -» Baia
Couto -» Meira
Tiago -» Pedro Mendes
Postiga -» Boa Morte

[tyrus]

first off baia had his chance with the NT and never did anything.
Quim stays but if you said Ritardo i would agree with you
Meira instead of Beto Couto or Rui Jorge
Viana for petit