Soccer: Scolari's mantra - kill or be killed

MARIENFELD - Red cards, accusations of foul play and gamesmanship, dramatic penalty shootout wins and victories against technically superior teams.

Portugal's progress to the World Cup semifinals, equalling their previous best performance of 1966, bears a startling resemblance to the campaigns of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's teams in Libertadores Cup.

Scolari came to prominence in his native Brazil by winning South America's equivalent of the Champions League with two different clubs - Gremio in 1995 and Palmeiras in 1999.

In contrast to the World Cup, where every detail is scrutinised by soccer's world governing body Fifa, almost anything goes in the Libertadores.

Scolari's Gremio were notorious for rough-arm tactics. On one occasion, the players were accused by their opponents of encouraging riot police to hit them after a brawl on the field.

Scolari was known to encourage ball boys to throw spare balls on to the field to disrupt opposition attacks, especially when time was running out.

But he installed a remarkable self-belief and determination in his players.

"Big Phil", as Scolari is often known, had a more gifted Palmeiras team in 1999 but it was still a rollercoaster ride.

They needed a penalty shootout to beat arch-rivals Corinthians in the quarterfinals and Colombia's Deportivo Cali in the final.

Scolari curbed his wilder excesses as he led Brazil to World Cup victory in 2002 and took Portugal to the European Championship final in 2004.

But he remains a larger-than-life figure on the touchline, as he prowls his technical area like a caged tiger and rants constantly at his players.

Portugal's 2006 campaign bears all the hallmarks of the vintage Big Phil.

Few people gave them much hope of going beyond the second round yet they have battled to the last four.

Their notorious second round match against Netherlands produced a World Cup record four red cards, six minutes of injury-time and mutual accusations of unsporting behaviour.

Scolari's team held out for a goalless draw against England despite losing playmaker Deco and defender Costinha to suspensions. There were also accusations that Portugal's players had encouraged the referee to send off forward Wayne Rooney as he received a red card in the second half.

But Scolari, who has an uncanny knack of managing to stay within the limits whether they be the looser ones of the Libertadores or the much stricter rules laid down by Fifa, does not care.

He has shocked the Portuguese media by using a Brazilian term for the knockout stages which translates as kill or be killed.

"That is what was missing in Portuguese football."

- REUTERS