Soccer: Luck wasn't with Portugal

1:30am

INCHON, South Korea - Portugal did everything possible to get a result against South Korea before going down 1-0 and out of the World Cup, according to FIFA World Player of the Year Luis Figo.

"We fought until the last minute. We did everything possible to achieve a result and we are leaving the World Cup with our heads high," he said after the defeat on Friday, in which Portugal played with nine men from the 65th minute.

"The team did everything possible to get a result and they were very unlucky," he added.

It was a sad exit for Figo and other members of the so-called golden generation of Portuguese soccer, who have been together since winning the World Youth tournaments in 1989 and 1991.

Figo declined to comment directly on the decisions to send off two players made by Argentine referee Angel Sanchez.

"I'm not a referee to analyse the decisions of a referee. I won't talk about the refereeing team, which would only give them more of a role than they had for 90 minutes," he said.

"We knew we would face a quality side, and the game's circumstances made things even more difficult."

The Real Madrid midfielder talked of the frustration which the side felt when Sergio Conceicao hit the post in the final minutes of the game, failing to score an equaliser which would have seen Portugal through to the second phase.

"People who were here or saw the game on television will obviously realise that if we had had a bit of luck, things might have turned out differently," Figo said.

"But like I said, it was a hard night, not just because we were playing in a World Cup. Playing at a high level with 10 men is hard, and more so with nine. But the team didn't give up," he added. "Even when we were outnumbered we had the best chances."

Figo and other members of the team left the pitch in tears.

"When you don't achieve your goals you have to be disappointed," Figo said. "But football doesn't stop here. Our careers go on, the only thing to do is to try and do better in future competitions."

Midfielder Paulo Bento looked ahead to the 2004 European Championship, which Portugal will host.

"This is the time to reflect," he told Portuguese television. "We have to start to work and get ourselves ready in the best way possible for Euro 2004. We have to congratulate Korea and the United States, because they were stronger than we were."

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