Chapter 465: Formidable Opponent
"In the 23rd minute, Portugal has taken the lead! They've finally scored!"
After scoring, Quaresma embraced his teammates, bringing a sense of relief to everyone: No matter what happens next, they were currently in the lead and in control.
Portugal is very skilled at playing while ahead, and even if the score gets tied, they have the confidence to score again. While the Portuguese players celebrated their goal, Mexico's coach Osorio was furious with his team's defense.
"Three passes! They scored against us with just three passes! What were our players doing? How were they defending?" Osorio complained to his assistant coach.
From his perspective, as the Gold Cup champions, Mexico should not have allowed the opponents to score so easily.
Portugal's entire scoring process was simple and straightforward, without any flashy moves. It started with Bruno and William Carvalho intercepting the ball, followed by Carvalho passing to Bruno. Bruno advanced with the ball, drew the attention of two defenders, and then passed to the wing. Nani received the ball and crossed it directly to Quaresma, who tapped it into the goal. From a tactical standpoint, it was a basic move from the center to the wing and back to the center, resulting in a goal.
Such a straightforward attack should have been easily defended, so it's no wonder Osorio was upset. He walked to the sidelines and shouted at his players, "Wake up! What are you doing? We must score!!"
...
After the match resumed, Mexico launched a fierce attack on Portugal's goal, hoping to quickly equalize.
Their relentless offensive pressure led to a series of mistakes by the Portuguese players. For instance, expecting a teammate to make a forward run, a player would pass the ball ahead, only for it to fall to an opponent because the teammate hadn't anticipated it.
During this period, Portugal, despite leading, played somewhat frantically.
Seeing this, Santos made adjustments, signaling to Bruno to focus on solid defense first and not rush into attacks. Mexico, enraged by Portugal's goal, was now very aggressive.
Just four minutes after Portugal's goal, Mexico nearly scored. They won a corner kick on the right, and Chicharito's header at the near post was only narrowly missed. The Portuguese defenders were caught off guard, but thankfully Chicharito's header was just slightly off-target.
...
Patricio was furious with his teammates' defense and yelled at them, "Mark tighter! How can we leave such a clear target unmarked? Focus on defense!"
While Mexico was attacking aggressively, Patricio was the busiest and most visible player on the team. If this continued, he might end up being the Man of the Match. Of course, he would prefer not to receive such an accolade if it meant the team could secure a victory.
Mexico's relentless attacks on Portugal's goal lasted nearly twenty minutes, and finally, in the 41st minute, they were rewarded.
Raul Jimenez dropped back to receive the ball and, facing Bruno's defense, wisely chose to pass instead of trying to dribble past him like Herrera did earlier. Dos Santos received the ball on the left and crossed it into the box. Chicharito, tightly marked by Pepe, made a dash to the near post.
Pepe had no choice but to attempt a tackle, a risky move that could easily result in a penalty. Nonetheless, he went for it. Chicharito was tripped but managed to make an unconventional shot while falling, sweeping the ball into the net with his left foot.
Patricio, covering the near post, couldn't react in time as the ball rolled past him into the goal.
"Goal! Mexico has equalized!"
...
Portugal, having their lead erased, appeared disoriented, while Mexico, buoyed by their goal, continued their assault, bombarding Portugal's defensive third with relentless attacks.
Fortunately, Bruno and William Carvalho's robust defense efforts disrupted Mexico's attacks and boosted their teammates' morale.
In the stands, Portuguese fans sang to motivate their team.
"A draw is not a big deal!" Bruno shouted to his teammates during a defensive setup for a Mexican corner. "Even if we draw, we can still advance as group leaders! So there's no need to panic! Just keep playing our game!"
His words reminded everyone: This was only the first group match. Even if they drew, they still had two more matches to secure the top spot in the group. Why act like they had already lost?
For the remainder of the first half, the adjusted Portuguese team managed to fend off Mexico's attacks without conceding another goal. Meanwhile, Mexico, after a period of intense pressure, also slowed down to avoid being caught out by a Portuguese counter-attack.
With formidable attackers like Bruno, Ronaldo, Nani, and Quaresma, Portugal's offensive prowess made any opponent cautious.
Thus, the teams entered halftime tied 1-1.
...
During the halftime break, Osorio refrained from criticizing his team and instead offered encouragement. He recognized that criticism would only harm their morale and determination. Having equalized and pressed Portugal hard, his players had shown commendable effort. Criticizing them now would be counterproductive. So, he chose to motivate them, emphasizing that continuing their first-half performance would lead to victory.
He urged them to seize the first five minutes of the second half to score, flipping the pressure onto Portugal and causing them to falter under the stress.
Meanwhile, in the Portuguese dressing room, Santos also refrained from criticism. After all, a draw wasn't a bad result against their strongest group opponent, Mexico. If they won their remaining group matches against Russia and New Zealand, they could still top the group.
Santos praised his team's performance and encouraged them to keep playing their game. After a brief talk, he left the room, allowing the players to discuss strategies among themselves.
...
After Santos left, Bruno spoke up, "Guys, although a draw is acceptable, I believe we should continue attacking in the second half and aim to score. Portugal's football is attacking football; it's not normal if we don't score."
"But Mexico's defense is strong. If we push forward without scoring quickly, they might counter-attack and score," Pepe cautioned. As a center-back, he was primarily concerned about defense and the potential lack of cover if the team advanced.
"That's not an issue," Ronaldo said. "Every team we face poses this risk. But look at our results. I believe in our attacking strength; we can break their defense before they score."
As a forward, Ronaldo naturally supported attacking play, as it meant more scoring opportunities for him. Bruno's idea resonated with him, so he supported it without hesitation.
"I also think winning is better. This is our first time in the Confederations Cup, and this is our first match. I want to start with a win, not a draw!" Nani said, full of fighting spirit.
"Exactly, attack!" Quaresma echoed. As a forward, he also favored an attacking strategy, as it meant more chances to score.
With most of the team supporting an offensive approach, their strategy for the second half was set: attack.
"Attacking has its advantages," Bruno continued. "This is just a group stage match. Mexico knows this, so they'll probably assume we'll play conservatively in the second half. They won't expect us to attack, thinking we'll be cautious. If we surprise them with an attack, we can score while they're unprepared. If we score again, they'll be done!"
"Bruno is right. One more goal and Mexico is finished!" said Patricio, who had made several crucial saves in the first half.
Finally, Bruno summed up, "So, in the second half, let's play our usual game. We need to aim for an early goal, preferably within the first five minutes. This will put the game back in our control. If we don't score within five minutes, we can slow the pace. But the earlier we score, the better it is for us!"
(End of Chapter)
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