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U20 World Cup 2007: Portugal 1 – 2 Mexico
Mexico defeated Portugal 2 – 1, in the second match of the group stage, to go top of Group C with 6 points. It was all-in-all an entertaining match with both teams showing their technical mastery of the game. The early minutes were shaky for Mexico. Portugal looked the more measured side and circulated the ball well. As the game wore on, Mexico managed to find their rhythm and slowly began matching Portugal’s possession. The first half would end 0 – 0 with very few clear chances at goal.
In the second half, Mexico looked the more fluid and controlled side, while Portugal won corner after corner but only managed to put one or two on target. The opening goal came on a penalty awarded to Giovanni Dos Santos. I won’t dispute the award, but it looked to me that Giovanni had control of the ball and then just plopped when he stepped into the box. The 2 – 0 clincher came in the 66th minute when Pablo Barrera finished off a Mexican counter attack. The consolation goal would come, yep you guessed it, from a dead ball play. Antunes blasted a free kick into the top right corner of the Mexican goal in the 89th minute, but by then, it was too late.
The Good
Like I said, it was an entertaining match and Portugal, as usual, circulated the ball well and never lost their composure. Individually Portugal showed its quality with Gama, Coentrão, Antunes leading the way. The team fought to the end and showed no signs of a broken spirit. In fact, as the Latino commentators point out after Antune’s blast, “Portugal is a footballing nation of winners and fighters.” You wouldn’t hear that in a losing effort ten years ago.
The Bad
There was plenty of bad. I had to grit my teeth far too many times. The finishing was terrible, but there weren’t even that many chances to finish. Portugal secured corner after corner, but failed to win anything worthwhile in the air. In fact, I don’t recall Portugal winning many air battles in this match as a whole.
We proved, again, that we have great wingers, but when the crosses did come, they were of low quality and in most cases, nobody was there to receive them. Portugal could only put 6 shots on target from 16 attempts.
The team also committed far too many needless fouls. Mexico committed more but with fewer consequences. Pele was awarded a yellow card early on and rendered himself largely ineffective for the remainder of the match.
The Ugly
I have to admit it. Couceiro is on my sh*t list. I gave him some props when he qualified the U21 squad for the Euro, but man does he make me nuts. I hate nothing more in football, then a manager that has no capacity to influence a match. Give me the antics of a Mourinho or Scolari any day. I expect a coach to be out there barking orders and kicking ass. Mr. Couceiro is either too cerebral or not enough, I’m not sure which yet. If he ever wins anything, he’ll do fine when they ask him to sit for his portrait.
Alright, I have to comment on the diving crap. There were a couple plays were Zequinha made a meal out of a snack, but does it really justify the nonsense I’m hearing from commentators every time Portugal plays? I’m a big fan of Latino commentators. In my opinion, they are the most fun to listen to and usually pretty appreciative of the nuances of the modern game, but last night they really came across as biased. I guess I can’t blame them, that’s part of the fun, too, but Mexico showed plenty of it’s cheating tendencies as well.
As I wrote above, I won’t dispute the call, but Gio did create the PK opportunity. He wasn’t dragged down as he would claim. Careful analysis of the play shows him clearly leading with his body and with full control of the ball. As soon as he crossed the 18 yard line, he just lost his legs. Again, I’m not complaining, just pointing out the double standard. That wasn’t the only example of Mexican weak knees.
The best example of Mexican slight of hand came in the 56th minute when H. Moreno tried to slam-dunk a goal with his left hand from a corner. A fact that the Mexican commentators quickly glossed over. It was a blatant attempt to cheat! It wasn’t even as artful as Messi’s recent hand trickery. At least he tried to hide it with a fake header attempt.
I’m not crying sour grapes. I’ll take the lumps we deserve, but Mexico fans shouldn’t be throwing stones because their house looks a bit fragile too. Mexico played well and deserved the win, but they better hope they didn’t just peak in the second match of the group phase. I have my doubts about Portugal going much further then the quarters with this kind of play, but in the meantime, I can only hope that Mexico’s coach, Jesus Ramirez, was right when he said to José Couceiro, “We’ll see you in the final.”
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Comments
By Ceasar | July 6th, 2007 at 12:33 pm 
Luis
You summed it up perfectly. I had to wait till I got home to see the penalty call and I have to agree with you comment.
While at the game all we heard were Mexican supporters bitching about the Portuguese falling etc. But they had no problem with that call or the hand goal…
Keep up the good work..
Posted from 
Canada
By Luis | July 6th, 2007 at 12:58 pm Giovanni is a talented kid, but he better grow some. I’m happy for MX fans, but it’s very different at the seniors level. He won’t do much in Spain until he can toughen up.
Posted from 
United States
By Joe | July 6th, 2007 at 10:44 pm Luis, I intend to agree with you on the point of Jose being a shit manager. He screwed up a very talented U21 team, who should have done much better at the recent Euro’s. and I’m afraid he is doing the same thing to a very good U20 team.
I do disagree with you though on the penalty matter, to me that was a blantant dive, both Dos Santos and I believe it was Renato were bodying for position and the bastard just fell, later in the game he tried to earn another pk, but was booked for simulation.
Overall it was a pretty even match, though I was very impressed with the overall team speed of Mexico.
As for the commentators, it’s not only spanish commentators making those comments. I watched the Canada game on Friday (recorded as I was at the actual game) and it is obvious from the commentary of this game and others, that over the past couple of years Portugal has now over taken Italy as the country that dives the most. I don’t know if this is the Cristiano Ronaldo factor, but it does get sickening hearing it time and again. I don’t suggest that Portuguese players don’t go to ground, I just don’t believe it is any more frequent than say Mexico, Spain, Italy, Argentina, or even England (ie J Cole, Gerrard and Rooney).
On a final note, I am very proud of these young kids, as they never quit and fought right till the end, literally leaving everything on the field, Coentrao could barely walk by the end of the game and just collapsed on the field when the final whistle went, just spent of all energy. Personally the chance to see one’s national team live has been amazing and to see the potential some of these players have is great. We have commented on this blog that the two main weaknesses of the Senior national team have been left back and striker, well I think Antunes will at least solve the left back position in the very near future.
Forca Portugal
By Luis | July 7th, 2007 at 1:36 am Joe – I was trying to be diplomatic on the PK award. Personally, I think it was a blatant dive, but there are rules for dealing with that and the referee made his own choices. I won’t challenge him on that as I have argued in the past that we must let the refs manage the matches. What drives me nuts is that we’re made to be the scapegoats when practically every team dives, sooner or later. It’s part of the modern game.
If there was one standard for referees, then diving would be a non-issue, but unfortunately, referees seem to make it up as they go along. It’s time for FIFA to professionalize referees at the highest levels. One standard, one way to call a match!
Posted from United States
By Daria | July 7th, 2007 at 1:53 am I agree with everything that has been said so far. I am not sure how I feel about the penalty call. Some angles I feel like it was a dive and other times not but no matter what I think it doesn’t change the result and I don’t think the result was unfair. Mexico were the stronger team in the second half and while our boys did give everything they had if they don’t put the ball in the net when they work the ball down the field then they won’t make it very far. In any case it was nice to watch two teams at the same level play beautiful football for the most part I thoroughly enjoyed the game. The next game against Gambia could be tricky but if we can find our scoring touch from open play it might break some tension and kick start some better finishing.
I definitely agree with the diving double standard. I am not oblivious to the fact that it happens and that the Portuguese teams at all levels are guilty of simulation but I am so sick of the rest of the world taking the moral high-ground and making it seem like it is only Portuguese players who dive. Every game during this tournament has had its share of diving and there is not one country who can say it has not happened within their team yet the commentators make such a big deal out of it when it is a Portugal game. Many Canadians who do not watch football on a normal basis but have watched a few games are now under the impression that Portugal are the worst divers in the game and everyone else just does what they have to do to win. I am tired of defending myself for cheering for Portugal against people who know nothing more about the game than what the commentators tell them. I have no problem with people taking an issue with diving, but please, please don’t let everyone else away with it and make one country the scapegoat for a much larger and more widespread issue. Sorry…my rant is over.
In any case watching those boys dead tired on their last legs trying to win the game in injury time made me feel proud and whether we lose against Gambia and possibly go home or go all the way I will still be proud and nothing anyone says will change that. I have faith that we just need one great goal and we will be off and running. Forca Portugal… I know you boys can do it!!
Posted from Canada
By Beto | July 7th, 2007 at 2:48 pm On the diving…….I don’t see how this argument of, “They do it as much as we,” “Everybody dives” or “It’s part of the modern game” helps us at all? It makes us look like whinny children much like many of the player tend to be. Sadly, it is this kind of behavior that has cheapened the modern game. The constant diving (by everybody) and the constant rolling on the ground and begging for foul from referees is beyond childish.
One might argue that it is expected from players that are no older than 20 and that it’s part of their developing maturities. Unfortunately, these antics continue once player make it to their senior squads.
Diving and simulation should never be part of the game. It is a cheap and disgusting way to gain an advantage over your opponent. It should be stamped out early so that players don’t rely on it. Portugal relies on it far too much as do others. Sorry to say for all of their diving, Portugal is not even that good at it as they can’t act worth sh*t.
Personally, I say anyone who dives should be booked and fines should be assessed to both the player and the club upon post game reviews. If fines are substantial it could deter the behavior and we might actually end up with what the game was intended to be and not a diving whine fest.
By Luis | July 7th, 2007 at 5:53 pm Beto – I agree to an extent. We’re not whining that everyone does it and so we do it too. More like everyone does it, but only Portugal take the heat. There’s plenty of blame to go around at every level.
I’m all for stiffer punishment of diving as long as it doesn’t disturb the flow of the game. Post game analysis can help as it did in the case with Adriano this past season, but what if a dive results in a goal? What then? Do you nullify it? What are the protocols for those decisions and how do you ensure that the rules are applied the same way across different leagues, competitions, etc.
Before we agree on how we punish diving, we have to establish one standard of refereeing. Every league has a slightly different refereeing style and most don’t even have professional refs. Lets have one standard and then we can talk about how to wipe out diving.
Posted from United States
By Luis | July 7th, 2007 at 7:28 pm Oh and we have to stop talking about diving as if it’s an isolated tactic. It’s not. To eliminate it we have to address not only the problems with officiating the game but also other tactics like violent conduct. Many times diving is a direct response to studs-up defending. And occasionally, studs-up defending is a response to diving.
It’s a very complicated topic and I just wish we could have a honest debate about the game’s darker side without resorting to overly simplistic scapegoating and hyperbole.
Posted from United States
By Beto | July 8th, 2007 at 6:07 pm Luis-I would agree that not all who dive do it unprovoked or as an isolated tactic. Sure, there are times when a player can do nothing but dive in order to keep him from harm. And certainly there is a problem with violent conduct and retribution on the field. However, IMO these events are a drop compared to the diving that is done solely to gain an advantage.
You explain that we should not talk about diving as a “tactic” but how can it be anything other than a tactic? Players know that if they are able to fool the ref that they have an advantage. If this takes place in the box then they have a huge advantage. Were this not a successful tactic it would no longer be used.
Luis, I was not engaging in blame or in exaggerated conversation. Yes, there are a number of problems with this game including officiating. I am simply pointing out that diving has become a cancer on this sport over the years and I don’t like it. You may consider that simplistic scapegoating but I wouldn’t.
I support post game review to punish divers and to punish violent conduct. In the course of review, it may be determined that a match was won on a penalty resulting from a dive but unless you have this review during the match you should not change the out come of the match after the fact. Unfortunately, this is the price of not interfering with the flow of the game.
By Luis | July 8th, 2007 at 6:27 pm Beto – sorry if my comment wasn’t too clear. I wasn’t directing it at you. More to the hyperbole in the media as a whole. Don’t ever hold back. Your input is greatly appreciated.
I agree, diving is not good for the game, but it’s not even as prevalent with Portugal as they suggest. And frankly, I don’t think it will do anything to tarnish what is already a fantastic sport.
In most cases, you can’t even get 4 people to agree on what is a dive and what isn’t. It’s mostly cultural interpretation. In England, for example, if you go down from hard tackle or elbow to the face, it’s pretty much a dive.
In Italy, a tough tackling league as well, diving is frowned upon but clearly viewed as no big deal in the big scheme of things.
My point is just this. Lets all take a deep breath and stand back a bit. Diving is systemic and only a system wide solution will finally cure it. Pointing fingers at one nation or another will do nothing to eradicate the problem.
Keep in mind, that the current status quo serves certain football lobbies far better then it does others. They love to point the finger guilt, because it allows them to take the moral high ground. Meanwhile, it’s happing on their pitches too.
Posted from United States
By Luis | July 8th, 2007 at 6:35 pm Sorry, I forgot to answer your tactic question. What I mean is that diving is part of a wider continuum of foul play in football. We (fans, media, etc)too often talk as if diving is just what cheating teams do when they’re desperate for a goal. It’s not always that simple. If we’re going to have a proper dialog about how to eliminate diving, then we need to address all the indirect and direct causes and we have to come to some consensus on what constitutes a dive. Either that or establish one standard for officiating and then live by the refs decisions.
Posted from United States
By Luis | July 8th, 2007 at 7:09 pm Portugal 1 – 2 Gambia
Ouch! I couldn’t find coverage of this match, so I will reserve my comments until I’ve digested enough match reports and highlights. The rumblings in the PT press are not good.
Posted from United States
By Beto | July 8th, 2007 at 10:04 pm OK Luis – I hear you! A complex situation, Baby Steps! Baby Steps!
I saw today’s game on ESPN360 through tvtugadotcom. It started well for us, with Condesso scoring on a nice header but the game went down from there.
There was little fluidity, poor finishing and as usual, terrible performance from set pieces.
Portugal suffered two injuries that looked pretty serious. Both Marques and Gama were taken off via stretcher and one of them was shipped to hospital via ambulance. Although Gambia were a man down for most of the second half, PT were unable to take advantage. In fact Gambia looked the better side scoring the winner while a man down.
Luis, I’m beginning to see your point that Couceiro might be the weak link on this team. I don’t know much about him but he seems to have the personality of a rock with some basic trial and error ability.
By Daria | July 8th, 2007 at 11:03 pm Well not what I had expected or hoped for but we always knew this would be a tricky game and resting so many players was maybe not the best idea. The only consolation is that we still advance but if things keep going the way they are now I don’t really see us lasting that long in the knockout round. However I have said it before and I will say it again, hopefully this will kick-start something and we can make a good run.
Posted from Canada
By Jaba Jarra | July 9th, 2007 at 9:18 am Sir/Madam
Why is The Gambia and Portugal match not mentioned in all news
whats up cuz they are black and from a poor country
By Luis | July 9th, 2007 at 9:50 am Very good question Jaba. Most likely just poor journalism. This is a great accomplishment for Gambia. It’s their first major tournament and they have qualified for the second round. Congratulations to Gambia and all Africans on their continued rise to the top of the football world.
Come back to visit us later. I will do my best to provide some commentary and highlights.
Posted from United States
By OGrandeTrinco | July 9th, 2007 at 10:35 am Yeah sentiments above and let me add 3/4 from the backline were substituted, they looked horrible. Portugal was lucky to only lose by 1 goal.
Hopefully this ship can steady itself and pickup some wind and head in the right direction, but a couple sails are broken, the crew is not communicating and the captain is asleep at the wheel.
Posted from Canada
By Luis | July 9th, 2007 at 11:12 am By Julian | July 13th, 2007 at 3:05 pm The problem with complaining about announcers being biased against the Portuguese is that since their return to the top stage at Euro 2000 (after some Youth tournament success) is that they have earned the reputation.
As the saying goes “you made your bed now lie in it”.
Posted from Canada
By Luis | July 16th, 2007 at 11:28 am Julian – the problem is that there are an awful lot of beds with the same sheets. Yet, for some reason, only Portugal are expected to lay down on them.
Posted from United States
By Alex | July 18th, 2007 at 6:29 pm Portugal has a bunch of show off selfish fags. That’s why they lost to Mexico.
Posted from United States
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