Portugal 2 - 0 Iran

| England News

Saturday Jun 17 2006 02:00

Portugal booked their place in the last 16 with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Iran in Frankfurt.

Second-half goals from Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo ensured Portugal made it past the group stages for the first time since 1966, when they reached the semi-finals.

The game started slowly, before 13 minutes in Deco looked certain to break the deadlock, but his left-foot drive from close in from Luis Figo's astute pass was brilliantly tipped away by Ebrahim Mirzapour.

However, Portugal were unable to break down a stubborn Iranian backline and just past the half-hour mark, Ronaldo had a clear header from a corner, but failed to get any power behind the effort.

Right on half-time wing-back Miguel made a break down the right, cut inside and his fierce drive deflected off keeper Mirzapour and went inches past the far post.

Early in the second period Ronaldo extended the impressive Mirzapour again, but still Portugal struggled to find the opening goal.

However, their fortunes changed with 63 minutes on the clock as Figo drifted in from the left and fed Deco, who curled home a superb right-foot shot from 25 yards, leaving Mirzapour helpless.

Iran hadn't carved out a clear chance up to that point, but six minutes later they had an opportunity to draw level, however, sub Rasoul Khatibi dragged his shot wide of the far post with just Ricardo to beat, after an error from Fernando Meira.

Their fate was sealed 12 minutes from time as Yahya Golmohammadi brought down Figo on the right side of the area and Ronaldo confidently tucked away the spot-kick, sending Mirzapour the wrong way.

Pauleta should have added a third in time added on, but his weak shot was blocked by Mirzapour, while Ronaldo had a last-gasp effort ruled out for offside, but he and Portugal had done enough to secure a crucial victory.

Live Commentary

90
FULL TIME: PORTUGAL 2-0 IRAN.

90
Mirzapour beats away a Petit drive and Ronaldo has an effort ruled out for offside as time runs out.

90
Pauleta breaks the offside trap, but his weak shot is blocked by Mirzapour.

90
Nekounam heads wide from a free header eight yards out.

90
Hashemian does well to earn a corner for Iran, but it's far too late now.

90
Teymourian gets the ball in space, but Costinha gets back to make the interception.

90
Five minutes of added time to play.

90
Into the last minute of normal time and Portugal are on their way to the last 16.

88
Golmohammadi's afternoon is over, with Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh replacing him.

88
Figo gives way to Simao for the last couple of minutes.

88
In fact after lengthy treatment, Golmohammadi does goes into the book.

85
Ronaldo is blocked by Golmohammadi, who escapes a yellow card after collapsing in a heap on the turf.

84
Figo tries to trick his way through, but is crowded out by three Iranian defenders.

82
That's killed off the challenge of Iran and they look like heading home early from Germany.

80
Tiago has come on for Deco straight after the goal.

80
PORTUGAL 2-0 IRAN, RONALDO wraps up the win by sending Mirzapour the wrong way and scoring with ease.

78
Penalty to Portugal as Figo is send flying by Golmohammadi.

78
Zandi's cross finds Hashemian and his header forces a rare save from Ricardo.

77
Iran have a free-kick in a dangerous position, but Zandi fires it into the wall.

75
Iran's hopes are fading, they need a goal in the next 15 minutes.

73
Hossein Kaebi drags down Ronaldo on the touchline and adds to a growing list of bookings.

71
Ronaldo wins a corner as he does the easy thing and just runs straight at his marker.

69
Khatibi seizes on a defensive error from Meira, but drags his shot wide of the far post with just Ricardo to beat, what a chance wasted.

69
Meira makes an excellent header as Iran mount a rare attack.

67
Armando Petit takes the place of a tired Maniche.

66
Rasoul Khatibi takes over from Madanchi.

65
Ronaldo fires a free-kick across the area, but no-one's there to turn it home.

65
Karimi comes off and Ferydoon Zandi trots on for Iran.

63
PORTUGAL 1-0 IRAN, Figo drifts in from the left and feeds DECO, who curls home a superb right-foot shot from 25 yards, leaving Mirzapour helpless.

61
Costinha brings down Madanchi and receives a caution.

58
Ronaldo's attempts at fancy flicks are getting the crowd going, but with jeers and whistles.

57
Mahdavikia gets forward, but his weak attempted cross dribbles through to Ricardo.

55
Ronaldo gets past his marker and his near-post drive is well blocked by the impressive Mirzapour.

54
Nuno Valente gets a good ball in from the left, but Pauleta flicks his effort well over.

52
Portugal need to make a change to try and shake things up, as they're looking a bit short of ideas.

50
Miguel is held off by Nosrati, who does well to bring the ball away from the danger zone.

48
Deco has his boot far too high and catches Nosrati, a deserved booking.

47
No changes by either coach at the interval.

46
Portugal start the second period.

45
HALF TIME: PORTUGAL 0-0 IRAN.

45
Time added on is being played.

45
Pauleta earns a card for a tussle with Yahya Golmohammadi.

45
Miguel is back on the pitch and he cuts in on the right and his fierce drive deflects off keeper Mirzapour and goes inches past the far post.

44
Figo goes down in midfield as the game gets a bit scrappy.

42
Miguel needs attention after a clash of heads with Nosrati.

41
Nekounam finds space down the right, but his cross is cleared away.

38
Iran have managed to quell the Portuguese onslaught and Scolari looks just a little concerned on the bench.

36
Figo is down injured after taking a blow to the face.

35
Ronaldo cuts inside his marker on the right and drives a left-foot shot inches wide of the near post.

34
Ronaldo has a clear header from yet another corner, but he fails to get any power behind the effort.

32
Ronaldo is clattered by Mehrzad Madanchi, who is the second name in the book.

31
Andranik Teymourian hits the post, but the offside flag is up.

30
Pauleta just fails to latch on to a Figo pass, he needs more support up front.

29
Ricardo Carvalho nods the flag-kick just wide of the far post.

28
Pauleta wins a corner with a selfless piece of running down the left.

26
Ronaldo does his classic stepover, but then wastes the opening by blasting a shot high over at the near post.

25
Nuno Valente tries to find Pauleta with a long ball into the box, but it's just too strong.

24
Ricardo makes an excellent punched clearance from Mahdavikia's pinpoint delivery.

23
Mohammad Nosrati wins a free-kick deep in Portugal's half with a theatrical fall on the left flank.

21
Deco beats two markers with ease in midfield, but Pauleta strays offside as he chases the pass through.

20
Nekounam brings down Figo and is booked, he'll miss the next game.

19
Iran finally enjoy a period of possession, but it's all inside their own half.

18
Portugal have had all the game, but they know that Angola held out for a goalless draw in their last game.

16
Figo's free-kick is played across the area to Maniche and his effort is headed over for a corner.

14
Ronaldo wins another corner on the right, but the near-post delivery is cleared away.

13
Deco looks certain to break the deadlock, but his left-foot drive from close in from Figo's astute pass is brilliantly tipped away by Ebrahim Mirzapour.

12
Mehdi Mahdavikia's free-kick finds Nekounam, but he heads well wide under pressure from Fernando Meira.

11
Ronaldo leads the next Portuguese attack, his cutback finds Costinha, but his shot is blocked.

10
Miguel makes a superb run down the right, but is finally crowded out as he breaks into the Iran area.

8
Luis Figo's corner to the edge of the area finds Maniche, but his right-foot shot is a couple of yards wide of target.

8
Nuno Valente wins the first corner of the game over on the left.

6
Maniche tries his luck from 35 yards, but his effort only bothers the fans behind the goal.

5
Pauleta gets the ball 25 yards out, but Javad Nekounam snaps into the tackle to dispossess him.

3
Iran have barely touched the ball and are content to get numbers back and pack the defence.

1
It's the European side making the early running.

1
Iran get the game underway.

0
Deco returns in midfield for Luiz Felipe Scolari's side, while Ali Karimi is fit to feature the engine room for Iran.

0
Portugal take on Iran in a Group D clash at Frankfurt's Commerzbank Arena.

Statistics

Portugal

Shots on target	8
Shots off target	8
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	20
Offsides	3
Corners	14

Iran

Shots on target	2
Shots off target	3
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	17
Offsides	3
Corners	1

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