I hear that Figo missed today's workout also a striker for Greece is doubtful http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fbl_eur2004_gre&prov=afp&type=lgns
Figo missed training with Muscle strain http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fbl_eur2004_por_figo&prov=afp&type=lgns
There's a lot riding on this game. A win would do a lot to calm the nerves and set the stage for a good run in the tournament; a draw or loss would be an enormous disappointment and could really shake the team's confidence. Greece is good, they have a shot (they managed to hold us 1-1 earlier this year), but Portugal will be amped and the home-field will carry them through to a win. I say we prevail 3-0 or 3-1.
Greek striker Nikolaidis likely not to play this Saturday. http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fbl_eur2004_gre&prov=afp&type=lgns
Now he's due to start. Teams look like they'll be at full strength. My prediction still stands. Hey, here's a surprise: Portugal v. Greece still not sold out. I know the opponent isn't a big draw, but still, what the hell? The city of Porto has an obligation to represent for the national side--if they sell out for FCP's CL games, they've gotta do the same for the NT's. http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-europortugaltickets&prov=reuters&type=lgns
To answer my own question, here's the reason: http://www.foxsportsworld.com/content/view?contentId=2477150 Portistas are pissed that Baia is not in the NT. I guess I can understand their disappointment, but that seems pretty weak. They should still get out there and represent.
110 tickets are left, people are making a line since 3pm on Thursday , so the game will be soldout by 10 am in the morning, the reason the tickets are left, the tickets return by the Greece federation
Beating Greece would open door for Portugal, says Eusebio By Martyn Herman LISBON, June 11 (Reuters) - Eusebio, Portugal's greatest footballer, says his country's chances of winning Euro 2004 could hinge on Saturday's opener against Greece. The hosts kick off the three-week tournament in Porto's Dragao Stadium with the whole nation willing the players to end the country's long wait for silverware. "The Greek match will decide everything," Eusebio, now 63, told Reuters on Friday. "Win that and it opens the door. To beat Greece would lift the pressure off the players and the public can then become a real strength. "It's a tough group with Spain and Russia, but I believe we will go through with Spain." Portugal reached the semi-finals of the European Championship in 2000 and 1984, losing to France on both occasions. With Eusebio in the team, they lost in the 1966 World Cup semi-finals to England. Eusebio, nicknamed the Black Pearl, scored 727 goals in 715 games during a career which included a European Cup winners medal with Benfica against Real Madrid in 1962. However, he never won a major title with Portugal, coming closest in 1966 before being beaten by the hosts. The former striker believes this could be the year that Portugal finally shake off the "nearly men" tag. "Portugal have very good players and they're playing at home. The players will give everything I'm sure and maybe this could be the time," he said. "They have experienced players like Luis Figo and Rui Costa and they will help the youngsters like (Cristiano) Ronaldo and Tiago deal with the situation." Updated
Portugal open Euro 2004 against outsiders Greece here Saturday with the burden of a nation's expectation weighing heavily on their shoulders. The so-called golden generation of players from Portugal's all conquering youth team of the early 1990s are only too aware that now is the time to finally convert all that promise into silverware before they and their fans turn grey. Under Luis Felipe Scolari's command the hosts will be anxious to get off to a flying start at Champions League winners FC Porto's futuristic Stadio do Dragao in an open-looking Group A that also includes Spain and Russia. Scolari took over with his stock at a premium after guiding Brazil to glory at the 2002 World Cup where the Brazilian's blend of inner mental strength allied to natural flair proved a winning combination. He will be counting on the same formula working for a Portugal side that could be the last to feature Luis Figo, who has hinted at retiring from the international stage after the tournament. The Lion King, as the Real Madrid star is known, lines up in the Greek curtain-raiser only after getting the all-clear for a muscle problem in his left leg which forced him to sit out a training session this week. Figo and his teammates are still smarting at being denied a place in the Euro 2000 final by a controversial penalty awarded to eventual winners France. Misery was to follow with an early exit from the 2002 World Cup. "That was a difficult moment for us because we were so close to making the final and then we got the wrong decision against us. "We then thought, oh well, at least there is the World Cup in two years where we can make things right but now this is the last chance for many of us and I am desperate to win something at this level for myself and my country." Portugal open Euro 2004 against outsiders Greece here Saturday with the burden of a nation's expectation weighing heavily on their shoulders The build-up to Portugal's first competitive match for two years has been slightly soured by a spat between Scolari and his pay master generals at the Portuguese football federation who were irked by a suggestion from the manager's agent that he was all set to get into bed with Benfica after the Euro. Scolari himself insists that if Portugal don't at least make the semi-finals he will quit - he will be expecting his side to take a significant first step towards that goal against a Greek team that has major defensive concerns. German coach Otto Rehhagel is waiting to find out whether two key cogs in his back line - Traianos Dellas and Vasilis Lakis - will make it to the pitch after skipping midweek training. Another defensive option, Nikos Dabizas, is also doubtful with a back problem. This is Greece's first Euro appearance in 24 years, the result of a major change in fortune since 'King Otto' arrived capped by their finishing top of their qualifying group that included Spain. One member of the well organised Greek squad who will almost feel like home is Panagiotis Fyssas, who plays for Porto's arch rivals, Benfica. With a posse of players from FC Porto to call on, including the Brazilian-born Deco and Chelsea-bound Paulo Ferreira, and input from the English Premiership in the shape of the precocious pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Helder Postiga, Scolari is not short of star talent. But the diet of friendlies Portugal has lived off since their ignominious exit from the World Cup has produced a mixed bag of results - wide margin wins against the likes of Kuwait and last weekend Lithuania spoilt by defeats to Italy and a 3-0 defeat to Spain. Yet Saturday's opener will be an altogether different proposition and swept along by a tide of support from the terraces Portugal will be looking to continue a run of the hosts not losing their Euro opener which stretches back to the 1980s.
Vergonha! Vergonha! Absolutely pathetic!! They couldn't play a poorer half...and that includes WC 2002! Un-phukking-believable!
Take out Rui Costa and Maniche....stick in Ronaldo and Deco. Play the ball wide with Simao and Ronaldo on the wings and then let Figo wander where he wants. Deco can slide in behind Pauletta to give him some support. Portugal has to at least tie this game.
Guess everyone is watching the game and no one has decided to continue with the updates... After one half, it really seems to me that Scolari tried hard to get Ferreira and Rui Jorge involved from the flanks. Unfortunately, they weren't threatening at all as there is no one for them in the box to cross the ball to... Our team played very conservatively and methodically. No one seemed to want to take charge.
Wow. THat sucked in almost every conceivable way. The defense was shaky and porous in the opening fifteen minutes. Greece could have gotten more than one goal at the start, and they only stopped looking dangerous when they appeared to stop trying to attack. And our supposedly fluid offense looked disjointed and useless. Figo gave a heroic effort but was essentially ineffective, both because no one was really backing him up and because he seems to have lost the brilliant edge he had a handful of years ago. I'd say most of our performances (with the possible exception of Figo) were undistinguished rather than horrible, with the excpetion of C Ronaldo who, despite the British announcer's gushing over him, was utterly useless with some of the worst crosses I've seen. Toward the end he killed countless attacks with crosses into the box that were nowhere near any player, let alone one playing for our side. And then there's the penalty he gave up. Not the worst I've seen--it may well have scuttled a scoring chance, but still he had a truly ignominious game. Someone needs to tell this team that dribbling does not count for sh!t unless you can capitalize on it with goals. We dominated possession but still looked harmless because all our attacks petered out on the edge of the area. No incisive moves, no finding open attackers with routes to goal, just endless crosses into the box either inaccurately played or won and cleared by the significantly taller Greek back line. I'd say it was a deserved win by Greece. They had nothing to lose and played like it, while we were nervous and tenative and played like it (shades of the US game in 2002). It's also a major disappointment and we're now very much threatened with not qualifying for the quarterfinals, which would be a crushing blow. A win against Russia and we've got it all to play for. A loss and we're done.
Frank: Republic of Texas offers its condolences... We know how much you suffer with the always deficient "golden generation." Figo continues to be a terrible disappointment. Still, there is hope...
First of all congratulations to Greece! There coach was smarter than ours, they suprised us at begining and started very well, the second goal almost killed the game, Portugal like always needs at least 20 shots to score 1 goal the greeks needed 8 to score 2, but thats football. The thing that disapointed me the most was seing the most experienced players completley colapse after being down, F.Couto was awful like he has been in the last 3 years( Why he didn´t atack karagounis in the first goal? did he won 1 single header?), Rui Costa played for the usual 30 minutes, and Figo lasted more but in the second half he changed with Deco and send the Luso-Brazilian to play in the right lol ( the playmaker goes to right to run and cross, and the star stays at the center running some meters and making some moves... ) Generally the team was awful, but we could and should at least manage to get a draw. Honorable mention to best men on the field Dellas fantastic exibition! Hoping to see a diferent lineup against Russia and anxiously expecting the victory. P.S. In the Dragon stadium this time unfortunatly the tradition mantained, the blue team always win.
Greece was the better team overall. They were better organized than Portugal, and they deserved the victory. Portugal couldn't get anything going. Paulo Ferreira and Jorge Andrade had two turnovers that led to two Greece goals. Portugal cannot make those mistakes. No one on Portugal played very well. Costinha didn't play like he usually does, but I think he will bounce back for the second game. Maniche did not play well at all. Scolari made a mistake starting Maniche, he should of started either Petit, or than a more offensive player like Deco. I think Nuno Gomes did a better job up front than Pauleta, it seemed that he won a few more balls, and created more opportunities. Portugal has to have a better showing against Russia, or they will not win.