Portugal 2-0 Iran

Portugal booked their ticket to the knock-out stages of the World Cup following a well-deserved 2-0 victory over brave Iran.


Luiz Felipe Scolari's side missed out on half a dozen clear-cut scoring opportunities before Deco opened the scoring with a wonder strike from 20 metres out in the 63rd minute.

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo then sealed the game with his penalty 10 minutes from the end after Luis Figo was brought down in the area.

Former Brazil boss Scolari made three changes from the dull 1-0 victory over Angola, with Barcelona midfielder Deco replacing Simao Sabrosa on his return from ankle problems, and Maniche, who spent the second half of last season at Chelsea, and Costinha edging out Benfica's Petit and Lyon's Tiago.

Iran coach Branko Ivankovic decided to keep veteran striker Ali Daei on the bench just 24 hours after announcing the struggling striker would definitely start. Mehrzad Madanchi took his place up front.

Portugal needed just 33 seconds to carve out the first opening as Figo found Deco with a low cross from the right but the unmarked 28-year-old was too surprised to get off a shot.

After Maniche got close with two long-distance efforts, Miguel outfoxed two defenders with a tidy solo run on the right which was halted just in the last second.

The large Iranian support cheered every time play moved towards Ricardo's goal, and they roared when Madanchi had a promising solo run blocked on the quarter-hour mark.

It came just two minutes after Deco had forced Iran keeper Ebrahim Mirzapour into a spectacular one-handed save with his shot from 10 yards on the left.

Portugal kept pressing as Ricardo Carvalho threatened with a header and Ronaldo did likewise with a powerful shot from the right wing.

However, Iran made their presence known in the 32nd when Andranik Teymourian rattled the left post with his shot from 13 yards out, which was flagged offside.

Ronaldo, who shook off leg problems to feature, then took over in the 34th. After Hossein Kaabi stopped his header off a Figo corner on the goal-line, the United winger hit the wrong side of the net with a powerful shot from the top right corner of the box.

Just before a fast-paced first half came to a scoreless conclusion, Mirzapour bravely diverted Miguel's hammered shot from a sharp angle to safety.

Portugal slowly but surely picked up speed after the break, with Pauleta attacking a pin-point cross from Nuno Valente, and Mirzapour again standing tall against Ronaldo.

Portugal's powerful play finally told in the 63rd minute when Deco broke the deadlock with a wonderful strike from 25 yards out.

Figo laid the ball off to the Barcelona star whose right-footed shot flew into the top left corner to give his country a well-deserved lead.

Iran almost produced an equaliser five minutes later, with second-half substitute Rasoul Khatibi sprinting onto a beautiful 40-yard pass and unleashing a shot from just inside the six-yard area that flew only inches wide of the right post.

Portugal, who seemed to relax after taking the lead, were fortunate that Ricardo was alert in the 78th after Ferydoon Zandi had crossed from the right. Vahid Hashemian nodded it towards the goal - only for Ricardo to jump on it.

Played switched down the other end where Figo was felled by Yahya Golmohammadi on the corner of the box.

The referee pointed to the spot, with Ronaldo holding his nerve and calmly firing home to double the lead.

Iranian resistance was far from broken but Rahman Rezaei sent his header inches past the right post before Pauleta wasted another one on one with Mirzapour at the other end of the pitch.

Ronaldo almost grabbed his second goal of the game when he met Petit's cross, but it was ruled offside.

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PORTUGAL 2-0 IRAN
17 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

Portugal became the sixth team assured a place in the Round of 16 at Germany 2006 after second-half goals from Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo secured a 2-0 win against Iran on Saturday, 17 June 2006.

While Portugal were celebrating a second straight win in Group D - and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's ninth in succession overall in FIFA World Cups™ - Iran were left to reflect on what went wrong after their second defeat confirmed their elimination. After a goalless first half in Frankfurt, Deco broke the deadlock with a long-distance strike in the 63rd minute and Ronaldo sealed the victory from the penalty spot with ten minutes remaining.

The match:
13': After making the early running, Portugal created the first significant chance when Deco controlled the ball brilliantly inside the area and fired a wicked half-volley on goal. Fortunately for the well-supported Iranians, Ebrahim Mirzapour managed to slap it away for a corner.

16': From a Luis Figo corner, Maniche's vicious volley was deflected over the crossbar as pressure began to mount on the Iran goal.

31': Andranik Teymourian broke in behind the Portuguese defence, only to see his shot strike the post. However, the assistant referee's flag was raised already for offside.

34': Another dangerous corner-kick from Figo picked out Cristiano Ronaldo some six yards from goal, but the Manchester United starlet could only watch as his well-directed header was chested off the line by Hossein Kaabi.

36': Kaabi was in the thick of things again. Just moments after Ronaldo had gone close with a fine strike from a tough angle, the raised boot of the Iran defender caught Figo in the face in an accidental collision.

44': Just on the stroke of half-time, Valencia full-back Miguel roared in and fired a shot from close range. But his effort off the keeper and wide of the post.

Portugal too powerful:
63': After a frenetic, end-to-end start to the second period, Barcelona’s midfield jewel Deco put the favourites out in front. After collecting a fine slipped pass from Figo, he broke the impressive Iranian resistance with a screaming arrow to the top corner from 23 yards out. (1-0)

69': Fighting against early elimination from the finals, Iran's second-half substitute Rasoul Khatibi nearly put his team back onto level terms. But his good attempt, after collecting a long ball from the back, slipped just wide of Ricardo’s goal.

78': Mehdi Mahdavikia had a great chance to equalise but his header from close range was well saved by Ricardo.

80': The game switched immediately to the other end where Iran captain Yahya Golmohammadi took down Figo with a sliding challenge and referee Eric Poulat of France did not hesitate in pointing to the spot. Ronaldo, cool as you like, fired home to ensure three more points for Portugal. (2-0)

90': Pauleta had a clear chance to increase the lead, only to fluff his lines on a counterattack.

In conclusion:
Despite battling bravely all the way and showing much to be proud of, Iran's hopes are crushed with one group game still to go. Portugal, while sure of a spot in the Round of 16, are not yet guaranteed first place in the group with a tough final test against second-placed Mexico still to come. Only pride will be at stake for Iran in their final match against Angola.




PORTUGAL-IRAN: Coaches' Quotes
17 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com
Luiz Felipe SCOLARI (POR)
This was the best performance by my team in the last seven or eight games. Now we have qualified we can concentrate on other things for the next match. We can look at who has got yellow cards while it will also give a chance for some players to recover.

I think the teams in the World Cup are all even, sometimes they play five or six very good games and then they have a bad day. So we just have to face the game when it comes around. (Whoever we face) we take it, we play it. We were very strong in the first half but we just couldn't score so we continued the same way in the second half and then we scored.

I like the Iranian team. They have very good players, they are physically very strong and very tall . They will become the most important team in that area. We respected the Iran players because they deserved to be respected.

Now we have to continue on and see what happens in the round of the last 16. This was a much much better performance by Portugal than in the first game against Angola. The difference is you have to look at the history - it's the first time in 40 years that Portugal have qualified for the next stage. The first game is always different, there was so much pressure on us.

At the start of the game it was very emotional for me because I saw my family and friends in the crowd and that's the first time I have seen them since they arrived in Germany. I was very happy and showed my emotions. Did I cry? No, maybe I just changed my eye colour.

Branko IVANKOVIC (IRN)
It was an even game. We started to see more mistakes from the Portugal side and we wanted to take advantage. I was trying to make a substitution. Then right at this moment Deco scored this wonderful goal. That was the quality of Deco to make a goal at this moment.

It must have been a big surprise for some people that we did not start with Ali Daei in the team but I needed a faster team and we played very, very well. Because Portugal were so strong it was hard for us and they made it difficult for us to score.

The next game is a life-and-death matter. Angola will be very motivated against Iran but this is the World Cup so you don't really need any extra motivation. It was very nice of Mr Scolari to talk about the Iranian team like that. It was a nice compliment and I really appreciate it.