Soccer: Iberia's late risers find form

For a team which always seemed to be one defeat away from missing out on the World Cup, Portugal will be going to South Africa in remarkably good shape.

When a poor start to qualifying was followed by a 6-2 defeat to Brazil, the reign of former Manchester United coach Carlos Queiroz seemed certain to be over. That was 16 months ago.

Portugal have since been unbeaten, winning 10 of 13 matches, keeping 11 clean sheets and last conceding to Nicklas Bendtner six months ago.

"At the start [of the qualifiers] the team couldn't get the results their performances deserved," Queiroz said.

"Sometimes when you win, people think everything is great and it isn't; sometimes when you lose it's just one step back and a reason to do better next time."

The naturalisation of another Brazilian, Liedson, has helped. The Sporting Lisbon striker's third goal in eight against China last week, completing a sixth straight win, suggests he may be the solution to the perennial centre-forward problem.

But while one Brazilian joins the campaign another looks like sitting it out, with central defender Pepe recuperating from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in December.

This will put greater responsibility on Ricardo Carvalho.

There is a problem in goal, with six keepers called up in the last year but only one, Braga's Eduardo, with more than a pair of caps. Last week Chelsea's Hilario, 34, got his debut.

There are also reports of a useful player called Cristiano Ronaldo.

- INDEPENDENT