PORTUGAL 4 - POLAND 0

[Gość: manager]

Pauleta led Portugal over a desperate Polish side, through a driving rainstorm,
and back into the Group D race with the second hat-trick of the tournament. Rui
Costa added a late goal to complete the score line.

While the Portuguese put the shock defeat to the United States behind them,
Poland, who played the Iberians evenly for most of the match, have now
officially joined the ranks of eliminated teams. The victory in Jeonju, Korea
means that Portugal are on three points, one behind both Korea and the United
States. Poland have lost both their matches without scoring and will try to get
a result against the U.S. next. Budweiser Man of the Match was hat-trick hero
Pauleta

Poland came out attacking, hoping to catch an early goal against Portugal just
as the USA had done. However, the Poles attacked with more passion than
precision, and Portugal were able to absorb the early pressure.

Several early chances fell to the foot of Pauleta, who first chopped a slow
roller to Poland goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek and then fired a shot from 20 metres
wide of the right post (9’). Minutes later, Pauleta struck a half-volley from
almost the same spot right at Dudek (11’).

With so many looks at goal, it was inevitable that Pauleta would capitalize on
one. That one came when Joao Pinto picked him out in the left side of the area.
Pauleta shook off a defender by cutting to his right and then fired a shot from
eight metres that beat Dudek at the near post (1:0, 14’).

The affair became rather messy under the pounding rain. Technical midfield play
became out of the question, and the uncertain footing led to some ugly fouls.
By the end of the first half, the referee, Mr. Hugh Dallas, had handed out five
cautions.

One of those cautions came on a foul that set up a free kick for Luis Figo on
the edge of the area, but the Real Madrid star rolled a slow shot that Dudek
had no problem scooping up (40’).

As the rain continued to fall in the second half, Poland missed a chance to
equalise when Jacek Krzynowek received a pass from out of midfield and took a
shot a step inside the area that went wide of the right post (56’).

Although Portugal held the one-goal lead, coach Antonio Oliveira opted for two
offensive substitutes early in the second half. First he brought on Rui Costa
for Joao Pinto (60’) and then Beto for Frechaut (63’).

Almost immediately after coming into the game, Rui Costa started a sequence
that led to Luis Figo running onto a ball near the end line and playing it
across the goalmouth for Pauleta, who tapped it in from five metres (2:0, 65’).

Rui Costa was also involved in Pauleta’s third goal. The AC Milan man played a
diagonal ball to Pauleta at the edge of the area, and no one in the stadium was
surprised when he completed the hat-trick by putting his shot past Dudek (3:0,
77’).

Then it was Rui Costa’s turn to grab one of his own after Capucho, yet another
second-half substitute, centred into the goal area and Rui Costa slid on the
wet grass to direct the ball past Dudek (4:0, 88’).

Poland, for their part, had their chances to get on the scoreboard late, but
they seemed destined to walk off the pitch without a goal.