Figo rues costly mistakes as Portugal go down to Greece

Portugal 1 Greece 2

Luis Figo admitted Portugal had paid a heavy price for their mistakes after the host nation lost 2-1 to Greece in the opening match of Euro 2004.

The nervy Portuguese fell behind after six minutes when they failed to close down Georgios Karagounis.

And five minutes into the second half substitute Cristiano Ronaldo fouled Georgios Seitaridis and Angelis Basinas make no mistake from the spot to leave Portugal with a mountain to climb.

Ronaldo did head a consolation goal deep into stoppage time but it was too late to salvage a point.

“When you play at this level and you make some mistakes it (losing) happens,” Figo toldBBC1.

“We lost the ball in midfield for the first goal and it was very difficult for us then. We tried to score but it became even more difficult with the penalty they scored. We continued to fight and I don’t think we deserved to lose. The Greeks attacked twice and scored two goals.

“I am disappointed and for our fans it is disappointing.”

Portugal now face Russia on Wednesday and Spain on Sunday and Figo is hoping they can still progress from Group A despite their awful start.

“We have two more games and let’s see what we can do,” added the Real Madrid star.

Portugal looked rattled from the first minute to the last against a Greece side that was inventive, concise and predatory – all words that could not apply to the host nation who were all fingers and thumbs at the Estadio do Dragao.

The Greeks were considered the weakest team in Group A by most pundits and with games against Russia and Spain to come it will now be very difficult for the host nation to reach the quarter-finals.

Georgios Karagounis gave Greece the lead with six minutes on the clock when he took advantage of hesitant defending.

And the clincher – a penalty from Angelis Basinas – came early in the second period after another self-inflicted blow, a foul by substitute Cristiano Ronaldo on Georgios Seitaridis.

Ronaldo, who nonetheless looked his side’s most dangerous player, made partial amends with a headed goal deep into injury time but there was not enough time left for the hosts to complete the salvage job.

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s decision to introduce Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo for Rui Costa and Simao Sabrosa had followed an abject first-half performance by Portugal.

Portugal is a football-mad country at the best of times but in the build-up to the biggest sports event ever staged on Portuguese soil the attention has reached fever pitch.

Three times semi-finalists in major tournaments they have never reached a final but hopes had been high that with Brazil’s World Cup winning boss Scolari in charge that the winning habit would catch on.

However, from the moment Italian referee Pierluigi Collina blew the first whistle the hosts looked nervous and within a minute a cross from Zisis Vryzas went just behind the dangerous Angelos Charisteas.

Portugal were making unforced errors and after only six minutes Greece made them pay for their indecision.

Karagounis picked up the ball in midfield and ran unopposed towards the penalty area before putting a right-footed shot just inside the right-hand post of Ricardo.

The Greek fans celebrated wildly as Karagounis ran towards them and the Portuguese fans were momentarily silenced.

Greece did not rest on their laurels and then Charisteas missed a chance when he fired wide after more defensive indecision by Jorge Andrade and Costinha.

Greece were relishing the occasion and a sweeping move saw Vryzas find Panagiotis Fyssas who volleyed wide of the target.

Andrade fired wide for Portugal and then Simao almost released Pauleta whose first touch let him down after he had got the wrong side of his marker Traianos Dellas.

Portugal were at sixes and sevens and Costinha’s name was taken by Collina for an unnecessary challenge.

Charisteas headed over from a Stelios Giannakopoulos corner and a minute later he was again allowed to run at the defence although Ricardo managed to save his left-footed shot from outside the box.

Andrade was lucky to escape a caution at least for what looked a cynical foul on the dangerous Charisteas whose foraging runs were making him a handful.

Karagounis was then booked by Collina less than a minute later for making his feelings known.

Portugal were largely reduced to long-range shooting with Rui Costa firing over from a good 35 yards and Luis Figo’s free-kick accurate but no problem for Nikopolidis.

Scolari made his double change at the interval but it immediately backfired on the man who led Brazil to World Cup glory in Japan two years ago.

Seitaridis, playing on his new home ground after moving to Porto, burst into the area and tumbled under a challenge from Ronaldo.

Collina pointed to the spot and Basinas sent Ricardo the wrong way with a penalty stroked with coolness personified into the roof of the net.

That was a hammer blow to the Portuguese who were clearly knocked back on their heels and several embarrassing errors by the likes of Ronaldo and Maniche were roundly jeered by the fans.

Greece, humiliated 10 years ago in their last major appearance at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, were in contrast looking assured and relishing the occasion on what will be a famous day for football in the country.

Their fans exulted with “oles” as they passed the ball around while the Portuguese looked lost.

Ronaldo, determined to make amends, was producing some nice tricks on the left but when he did get the ball into the danger zone no-one was there to get on the end.

The introduction of Nuno Gomes for Costinha was Scolari’s last gamble while Rehhagel made another change with Demis Nikolaidis on for Stelios Giannakopoulos.

Portugal never gave up and then got on the scoresheet at last when Ronaldo headed Luis Figo’s corner into the net but they had left it to late and Collina brought down the curtain on an awful day for the hosts.