Portugal in dire straits
Print Edition
PORTUGAL’S start to the World Cup couldn’t have been much worse: a 0-4 loss to Germany, a lackluster performance from Cristiano Ronaldo, a key defender sent off and another probably out of the tournament.
The question facing Portugal at the championships was always simple: can it win games without Ronaldo at his best?
After the humiliation by Germany in Salvador on Monday, the answer was clear: with Ronaldo not looking anything like the world player of the year, Portugal didn’t look anything like the fourth-ranked team in the world.
And, the traditional lack of discipline — the first-half sending off of defender Pepe for a mindless headbutt means a Portuguese player has now been red-carded in four consecutive World Cups — bodes ill for the team.
During the match, Ronaldo was shaking his head, arguing with referees and teammates and spending plenty of time just strolling on the pitch. The Portugal captain had only two shots on target, one a free kick in stoppage time. For someone who claims to be 100 percent fit despite a recent knee injury, Ronaldo’s performance signaled otherwise.
Portugal coach Paulo Bento blamed Serbian referee Milorad Mazic, saying he was “biased toward Germany.” He said that both the 11th-minute penalty and the sending off of Pepe “were too harsh”.
To make things worse, defender Fabio Coentrao and striker Hugo Almeida suffered what Bento said were serious muscle injuries that could sideline both in Portugal’s upcoming matches, against the US and Ghana.
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