Chapter 464: Opponent Mexico
No one expected Mexico to get their first shot on goal so quickly. The Portuguese defenders didn't react in time to defend, but luckily, Patricio was fully alert and managed to save Chicharito's shot. However, Mexico's attack wasn't over yet. The ball didn't go out of bounds after Patricio's save but bounced back into play.
Mexican player Vela, who had rushed into the box, met the ball with a volley!
"Carlos—"
A massive cheer erupted from the Kazan Arena, with Mexican fans standing up, ready to celebrate what they thought was a sure goal.
Everyone thought the ball was going in except Patricio. After saving Chicharito's initial shot, he quickly got up, ready for a second save, and he got his chance. As Carlos Vela's shot flew towards him, Patricio leaped and managed to deflect the ball with one hand.
"Patricio! Beautiful save!"
...
This time, the Portuguese defenders didn't let their guard down. Pepe quickly cleared the ball, giving no chance for a rebound. After making the clearance, Pepe was a bit shaken—what if they had gone down a goal within the first minute?
"Just one minute into the match, and Mexico has already threatened Portugal's goal twice! It looks like Portugal will have a tough time winning this match. Mexico has shown that they are not willing to hand over victory easily!" the commentator exclaimed.
On the field, Bruno was shouting at his teammates, "Did you see that, guys? This is our key group stage match! Stay alert and focused!"
After those two saves, Patricio felt confident in his form today. "I'm in good shape today. Trust me with the goal, guys! Go on the attack!"
...
The Mexican players would later regret not scoring from these early chances because their aggressive start woke up the Portuguese players.
After restarting play, the ball was passed to Bruno. This had become a habit for the Portuguese team over three years—Bruno was the brain of the team.
As soon as Bruno got the ball, he was closely marked by Dos Santos. Before the match, Mexican coach Osorio had analyzed the Portuguese team and specifically warned his players about Bruno, devising several strategies to deal with him. Dos Santos suggested an "accidental" tackle to take Bruno out of the game, but Osorio didn't approve of such tactics. So, Dos Santos only stuck close to Bruno without being overly aggressive.
Facing Dos Santos' tight marking, Bruno didn't force his way through. He chose to pass the ball and move into space, all while keeping an eye on the surroundings. When his teammates passed the ball back to him, he cleverly let it go through his legs, tricking Dos Santos.
...
The ball went to Nani, who drove forward. The Portugal vs. Mexico match attracted a lot of attention, especially from the host nation Russia's supporters.
A day earlier, Russia had secured a 2-0 win over New Zealand in the opening match, getting off to a good start in the Confederations Cup. Now, all Russian fans were interested in this match's result because it also affected Russia's chances of advancing. For the Russians, the best outcome would be a draw between Portugal and Mexico, allowing them to stay ahead in the standings.
On the field, Portugal's attack began to take shape, showing their strong offensive capabilities.
In the ninth minute, Portugal earned a corner. Ronaldo's header skimmed past the post, scaring the Mexican fans.
In the twelfth minute, Portugal got another chance. Bruno passed to Ronaldo, who dribbled and took a powerful shot from the edge of the box. The ball hit the side netting, making some fans think it was a goal.
The Portuguese commentator was one of those fooled. Seeing the net ripple, he eagerly shouted, "Goal!"
But when he noticed Ronaldo wasn't celebrating, and Mexico's goalkeeper Ochoa wasn't upset, he quickly corrected himself, "Ah… it hit the side netting. From my angle, it looked like a goal…"
He genuinely hoped Portugal would score soon, preferably twice, to secure the win and ease his nerves. However, this match wouldn't allow Portugal to win easily.
...
In the fifteenth minute, Mexico responded. Carlos Vela was fouled by Cedric on the left wing, earning Mexico a free kick. Vela took the kick, curling it into the box, but Patricio punched it away just before Raul Jimenez could reach it. The ball fell to Chicharito, but his shot went wide.
Mexico is a strong team with solid defense, but for this match, Osorio didn't play defensively. He wanted to attack Portugal and believed in his team's ability to outscore the Portuguese. This became evident in the first fifteen minutes, but Portugal soon taught them a lesson.
For this match, Nani and Quaresma continued to start alongside Ronaldo upfront, while Bruno, William Carvalho, and Moutinho formed the midfield trio. Moutinho had been in great form recently, earning coach Santos' trust.
Though having Bruno and Moutinho together made Portugal's defense slightly weaker, their excellent ball control could compensate for that.
In the twenty-third minute, Mexico's midfielder Herrera was pressured by Bruno and made a rushed pass, intercepted by William Carvalho.
...
Seeing the successful interception, Bruno turned and moved away from Herrera, and Carvalho quickly passed him the ball. Bruno controlled it while turning and then drove forward.
Bruno's forward run signaled danger to opponents who had studied him well. They knew Portugal was about to launch a significant attack when he moved forward.
Many teams had defensive strategies to counter this: tightly marking Bruno when he advanced and trying to steal the ball. Bruno's forward runs were risky because if he lost the ball, it would leave a large gap for the opponents to exploit.
Thus, Bruno only advanced when he had thoroughly analyzed the situation, knowing his move could exploit a defensive lapse. At this moment, Mexico's right side defense was vulnerable. Earlier, when Herrera moved forward, right-back Salcedo had eagerly surged up, raising his hand for the ball. Herrera's intercepted pass was intended for Salcedo.
Bruno capitalized on Salcedo's advanced position, leaving Mexico's right side exposed. He took a few steps, drawing Dos Santos and Guardado towards him, then suddenly passed the ball to Nani on the left.
Nani received the ball deep in Mexican territory and crossed it low into the box.
Bruno's forward runs were a signal for attack, well-known among Portuguese players. When they saw him advance, the forwards prepared to find spaces and shoot.
So, as Nani crossed the ball, Quaresma reacted quicker than Mexican defender Reyes, darting forward to meet the ball and tapping it in.
"Goal!"
When Bruno began his forward run, the Portuguese fans in the stands erupted. They had seen this countless times before—Bruno's runs always brought excitement. As he passed to Nani, who crossed into the box, their cheers grew louder until Quaresma scored, sending them into a frenzy.
"Viva, Portugal!"
(End of Chapter)
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