Albania
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
England
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
Wales
World
Portugal
PT 3 – 0 AZ : Ronaldo takes charge?
Comments(20)
Portugal defeated Azerbaijan 3 – nil in a match that held few surprises in outcome, but that hinted at what a post Figo Portugal may look like. The big question following the retirement of the Portuguese legend was who would step up and lead the national team forward. Well, in the game against Azerbaijan, it seemed that Scolari had his man.
Ronaldo scored two goals and created the opportunity for a third, while being robbed of a fantastic sideways bicycle kick that hit the top cross bar and landed in the goal with inches to spare. The line judge called it a no goal, but it should have been a hat trick and 4 – 0 victory. Ricardo Carvalho showed that he has the instincts of a striker when he put in a rebound, off a Ronaldo free kick, for the second goal. He’s one of the best central defenders in the world and still finds time to score goals for Chelsea and Portugal. What a great footballer.
In general, the team was at ease and moved the ball quickly through midfield. Deco, Costinha, and Maniche were there to pick up the slack when the team seemed to lose its force. They provided that midfield consistency we love so much and kept the game focused and offensive.
If there was a downside to this game it was that Nuno Gomes didn’t score. He’s in pretty good form for Benfica, but he hasn’t fully convinced for the national team yet. In post game interviews, Scolari also expressed some concern over the lack of shots from outside the area.
This was primarily a match to improve concentration for the larger challenge in Poland this Wednesday and there certainly were periods where the tempo of the game suffered. But, all in all, the team looked in control and exercised its options well. Ronaldo was, to be frank, in charge of the match. His speed and cutting runs into the area left the Azerbaijanis in pieces. His exchanges with Miguel and the pace with which they moved the ball up the right wing shows why some call this the best right flank combination in the game today.
I know what some of you are thinking. It was just Azerbaijan and frankly not much of a test. That’s true, but more important then the victory was the emergence of a new Portuguese offensive machine. Figo offers his own set of qualities, but without him, and with a maturing Ronaldo leading the way, Portugal is a faster team with just as many options. Defensively, Ricardo Rocha showed consistency as well, even if the defense wasn’t tested very much. I think he provides Scolari a third option for central defender.
On Wednesday, Portugal will face a stronger challenge from Poland. Scolari will have a real test against a compact and physical team, but he also has plenty of options to take control of this game and put Portugal well on the path to Euro 2008 qualification.
And the 3-0, superb cross from Simão, CR acting as a striker… 
I couldn´t find R Carvalho´s goal, yesterday against Azerbaijan-. But I did find this, hehehehe…
Pedro,
I love that goal from last year. I watched that game and couldn’t believe it. Carvalho started that run with an interception and pass, ran from defense to left winger and finished it off with that great strike. 
Posted from 
United States
Yeah… We can all dream of Carvalho becoming Beckenbauer… Even if he doesn´t, I´m happy if he puts in one or two, now and again. Must say I didn´t see that before. But it´s a sight we should keep in our minds. And hope for more…
One thing is sure. We are shaping to an excellent team.
Very slowly, but also very surelly (I cannot stop repeating this), the portuguese team has been changing from a bunch of excellent players that never really went as far as they should, for this or that reason (I won´t go into that now), into a solid collective unit.
Slowly we now begin to have 4 excellent defenders, valid options for the full backs, versatile options for all positions in midfield, making the best of an extremelly limited nr of options in the #9 pos, PLUS slowly and sucessfully overcoming the absence of two major references in the team. At the same time, all of them building the essential routines that in the end provide a winning side.
Scolari has been making the absolute best of an excellent, although limited “raw material”, based upon two major concepts: realism and stability.
ow.. that’s great… but i haven’t watch that last night… *sigh*
Posted from 
Indonesia
Ricardo can become legend like Beckenbauer?? i think that’s really impossible… maybe Ronaldo can become like that.. what do u guys think??
Posted from Indonesia
Ronaldo is simply the best at the moment. No ambiguity there!!!! Just lovin football. Thats all
I hope Ricardo C doesn’t become such an eccentric and hardheaded legend like Beckenbauer – moreover, Portuguese guys don’t need Germans as role models!
As Luis ticked (the post is really excellent work, Luis, I agree), R Carvalho is one of the best central defenders in the world and the only one who shows such great offensive competences.
A Swiss newspaper called the team’s achievement “rather disappointing, slow and boring” – what the hell do they mean by “boring”??? For me, a football match is always interesting.
They furthermore remarked that “Luiz Figo, the only popular player in the Portuguese team, would have been disappointed if he had seen the team’s development.”
Apart from their duty to learn how to write names correctly, our great retired captain Figo did watch the match, I think, because at that time of the day he didn’t have training, of course. And he would only have been disappointed if he hated Portugal, and he doesn’t, as we know.
Posted from 
Austria
Hey Pedro..Manchester United seem intent on swooping up Nani before he signs an extension with Sporting (with a 17.5 million buyout). They have sent Quieroz to try and close the deal. Personally I would love to see Nani stay in Portugal for 1 or 2 more years, but if he leaves, then I want to see him at Manchester United where he can dominate on the opposite side wing of CR. Now that would be great to see CR and Nani on the same team and dominate English futebal.
http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=13988
Posted from United States
Hey guys,
Isn’t it funny how everyone is getting so worked up just because Scolari knows how to do math? I think we’re getting to spoiled thinking only victories are acceptable. We like to wins, but Scolari is right, qualification is the main objective.
Posted from United States
@Carlos: It’s not a question of needing role models or not. Beckenbauer is a legend and I guess everybody could learn from him, or any other legend. German or Russian or Chinese… I imagine he kinda “invented” that box-to-box style of play for a centre defender. CD don’t usually go up the pitch and score, except in corners… And yes, R Carvalho has been doing it more and more.
Nani’s contract is already +/- shielded. I went to the above site and Nani was not the main reason for SCP’s performance last year. It was the collective. It was actually more Moutinho’s year… His (Nani) influence is much bigger this year, but we’ve only had a few, althoug inmportant, games. Injuries can happen, a bad moment in form, etc. He’s very young and personaly, I’d like him to stay at least 1 year more in SCP. I know if he keeps playing this way, and improving, they won’t be able not to sell him to a big one… If he does leave, Man Utd is also were I’d like to see him.
Anyway, soon enough, SCP will have mighty difficult matches: 2 against Bayern, receive FC Porto and play SC Braga (in Braga), the “revelation” team for this year. They have been very strong, now featuring former Benfica, Sporting and NT start, Joao V Pinto… Oldie but goodie…
Here’s something from an interview to Alecsandro, brazilian striker playing with SCP
http://www.ojogo.pt/22-231/artigo584200.htm
Posted from 
Netherlands
Here’s the 2-0 from R Carvalho.
You can clearly see both Carvalho and Gomes running forward, for the possible rebound, one for each side…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZKRjKR12eE&mode=related&search=
Posted from Netherlands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlcYZKuW_oU
(first goal Carvalho; second Nani)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD3l0zqx1go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHcihg_yXw4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD5pdR-pfwU
And Nani here setting up Moutinho…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoKU4S26lPc
Posted from Netherlands
Check out this link to a Man U blog about Rooney and Ronaldo’s recent form. I think the writer did a good job summing this up but I’m not sure he accurately portrayed Rooney’s problem. I think his problem is not so much lack of aggression but lack of maturity in handling his career and not showing inner strength in the face of criticism. You don’t have to be overly aggressive to keep your focus and form.
http://www.unitedrant.co.uk/archives/2006/10/the_making_of_ronaldo.html
Posted from United States
Yes, you’re right, somehow he misses the point, but I couldn’t really say how or write any better article. Rooney’s comment is as strange as usual and what the Tottenham coach says is not very reliable and I couldn’t tell that Cristiano normally tries to influence the referees. MY stomach turns when I read things like Steven Gerrard’s biography.
However, ManU will only be useful for Nani if CR stays there, otherwise he will be lonely and hated again in England. The player called himself “young and very ambitious” and said he wanted to go to a superclub if he left. It’s very likely at the moment that he will take the job at ManU because he seems really enthusiastic about the offers from England and wants to leave soon.
Posted from Austria
Good news (not for everybody, I think): Petit is back!
But Hélder Postiga is injured now (right knee).
Thank God: Tiago was all okay in training (he hobbled off the pitch on Saturday).
Posted from Austria
Anyone watching U21 Portugal v Russia? Great Penalty, but we need another 3 goals to win….Come on!
Noooo I seriously seriously dislike Petit. I was watching the old Portugal v Iran game from the WC and he is so ANNOYING and aggressive.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
He is, but he also is a Portuguese. However, Big Phil wants to replace Maniche with Petit… I can hardly understand that because Maniche showed a good performance in Germany…
Posted from Austria
Comments are closed
MORE EUROPE BLOGS
CATEGORIES & ARCHIVES
Great post, Luis.
Even yesterday I was looking for some footage of this disallowed goal, in CR´s own words (today in the papers), one of his best goals ever. And it was (n´t)… 
The papers today said something like “Devil on the loose”
http://www.ojogo.pt/22-229/index.htm
The team played “cool, calm and collected”, and achieved what counted – 3 points.
N Valente was replaced at half time, simply cos he had a yellow. Excellent job from both full backs, by the way, always supporting the attack.
The worse moments were the first 15 minutes into second half, where (well, for all to see but also in Scolari´s words as well) the midfield severed and the defense was too far from the attack, conceding a lot of space. I believe this was the reason for Maniche´s subs for Tiago (you should have seen Scolari´s face “instructing” Tiago, just before going in). Costinha and Maniche were to far from eachother, when what was inteneded was to keep it tight.
Miguel… One hell of a match. No wonder Real is after him. Some rumours also say Chelsea is keeping an eye on Nani for next season. Anyway, a lot will happen till then…
CR´s 3rd goal… Shear brilliance, and the movements of a striker… N gomes didn´t score… So what…? He scored against Finland. R Carvalho scored as well. It´s a team, right?
To those who say “only” Azerbaijan, remember 1999… Some 7 or 8 – 0 home, 1-1 in Baku, equalized on the 89th minute… And “only” Scotland beat France and “only” Macedonia stole 2 points from England at Old Trafford…
But anyway, CR made one of his best matches. Nani replaced him (for the applause) in the dying minutes, but beware of this kid… Pitty the team was already in cruise control.
One final word for R Carvalho. His goal came from the rebound of a defense, following a freekick. Funny thing is, as soon as the kick was taken he ran towards goal, as if expecting it, got there before anybody and took no prisioners. Anyway, against weaker teams we´ve been seeing him more and more coming up front, Costinha always keeping it sober in the back…
Now… Let´s try to get 3 points in Poland!!!
FORÇA PORTUGAL!!!