Hosts salvage hope against Russians

Russia 0 Portugal 2

Rui Costa scored the second goal that keeps Portugal’s hopes of lifting the European Championship title in their own country remain on track – but only just.

Goals from Maniche and substitute Rui Costa, the man blamed by many for Saturday’s opening defeat by Greece, were enough to see off 10-man Russia tonight.

The win sets up a mouth-watering final Group A clash with arch-rivals Spain at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Sunday evening.

Only a second victory in that game will be enough to send Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side into the quarter-finals because of their result at the weekend, and while that remains a major challenge, it is one which they have at least earned themselves.

Gilberto Madail, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, did not attend tonight’s game because he feared for his health if he had done so.

He was probably wise to stay away as Scolari’s men dominated throughout but made heavy work of dismissing the Russians.

But the all-important result was finally delivered, and it is Georgi Yartsev and his players who will be making a swift, if somewhat longer, journey home rather earlier than they might have hoped.

Russia, already deprived of the services of dissenter Aleksandr Mostovoi and suspended defender Roman Sharonov, saw their roll call depleted further in the final minute of the first-half when goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov was sent-off for handling outside his area.

There was no margin for error for the host nation following Spain’s 1-1 draw with Greece in Porto earlier in the evening, and they kicked off knowing defeat would make the unthinkable a reality and that the finals would continue without them beyond the group stage.

Scolari wielded the axe as three members of the back four who started the ill-fated opening day clash with Greece – Paulo Ferreira, Fernando Couto and Rui Jorge – made way for Miguel, Ricardo Carvalho and Nuno Valente, while Rui Costa’s place went to Deco.

The changes meant only one member of Portugal’s famed golden generation, skipper Luis Figo, remained in the side, a reflection of their country’s need for fresh ideas.

With the nation willing them on, the Portuguese started at a gallop, Deco, Figo and Sabrosa Simao dragging the Russian defence all over the pitch as they interchanged in a bid to create the space they needed to break through.

In fact, it took them just seven minutes to fashion the opening which got them off to the perfect start, Maniche swivelling on Deco’s ball into the box to bury a right-foot shot in Ovchinnikov’s bottom left corner.

Ricardo Carvalho headed a Deco cross over the bar and Pauleta only just failed to make contact with another from the lively Figo.

The Russians played some nice football with the limited amount of possession they were afforded, but had only long-range and inaccurate free-kicks from Dmitri Loskov and Andrei Karyaka to show for their efforts.

Their plight deepened on the stroke of half-time when Ovchinnikov was sold short by Dmitri Sennikov’s back-pass and was adjudged to have handled outside his area to prevent Pauleta capitalising y referee Terje Hauge.

Yartsev immediately sent on substitute Viacheslav Malafeev in place of midfielder Evgueni Aldonin, but his side’s chances were receding with every passing moment.

Portugal returned knowing victory was within their grasp, and their intentions were clear from the off as they tore at the Russians in the search for a second goal.

Nuno Valente forced a good save from Malafeev with a long-range effort, and although Karyaka momentarily embarrassed Ricardo with a 53rd-minute cross from the left, it was largely one-way traffic.

Deco tested Malafeev with a long-range free-kick, but only slightly, and Scolari opted for change as the hour-mark approached and passed, sending on Nuno Gomes and, to a mixed response, Rui Costa for Pauleta and Simao.

Portugal almost had the points wrapped up with 64 minutes gone when Deco and Nuno Gomes combined to set up Figo – but his carefully placed shot was not placed quite carefully enough and a combination of Malafeev and the foot of a post denied him.

The Real Madrid star thought he might have had a penalty two minutes later after going down over Alexei Bugaev’s outstretched leg, but Hauge ignored Portuguese appeals.

Deco forced another good save from Malafeev with a dipping 74th-minute drive, before Cristiano Ronaldo entered the fray as a 78th-minute replacement for Figo.

Nuno Gomes might have calmed things down with five minutes remaining, although he failed to get his shot away.

However, Rui Costa did the trick with a minute remaining, converting Ronaldo’s cross from close range to ensure Sunday’s showdown assumes massive proportions.