Soccer: Portugal cruise to group win

GELSENKIRCHEN - Portugal cruised to maximum points without moving out of second gear in a poor quality Group D and face a much stiffer test against Argentina or Netherlands in the second round.

Portugal's 2-1 win over 10-man Mexico this morning came after a scruffy 2-0 triumph over Iran and a 1-0 win over nervy debutants Angola.

Those first two victories guaranteed a slot in the last 16 and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari felt able to rest five of his leading players who were on a yellow card.

Nuno Valente, Deco, Costinha, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pauleta were not even named among the substitutes and it proved a sensible decision by the experienced coach for a match where seven yellow cards and a red were flashed.

Portugal looked lively in the early stages and deserved their 2-0 lead via a Maniche shot and a Simao Sabrosa penalty.

They then had to concentrate on defensive duties as Mexico launched a spirited fightback.

But after Jose Fonseca's headed goal, Omar Bravo's missed penalty following a needless handling offence by Rafael Marquez and Luis Perez's red card, Portugal were relatively comfortable.

Portugal look equipped to mount a serious title challenge. Runners-up in Euro 2004 on home soil, they qualified for the World Cup in style.

The bulk of the 2004 side is still together and even Luis Figo has looked sprightly. Yet there remains the feeling they have yet to be really tested.

That will change in the next round when their reward for topping the group is a game against Argentina or the Dutch, who meet later on Wednesday.

Should Scolari's team negotiate that hurdle, they will have to be taken seriously.

Mexico, as so often before, appear unable to live up to their pre-tournament billing.

In a CONCACAF qualifying group that virtually guarantees their participation in every World Cup, they have achieved an artificially inflated world ranking, fourth to Portugal's seventh.

Mexico have appeared in 12 tournaments and made the quarter-finals only when they hosted the event in 1970 and 1986.

Even when they do fight themselves into contention, there is little that can be done about the sort of self-destruction produced by Bravo and captain Marquez.

The experienced Barcelona centre back, who ended the last World Cup in disgrace after being sent off for a head-butt in the second round defeat by United States, will find few sympathetic ears when he tries to explain his decision to punch away a corner against Portugal.

Bravo deserves a softer landing for blazing his penalty high and wide, though he compounded the error minutes later by missing another good chance from open play.

- REUTERS