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Wednesday, 20 November, 2002, 23:00 GMT
Scots sink in Portugal
Maurice Ross can do nothing to stop the Portuguese striker
Pauleta knocks home goal number two for Portugal
Portugal 2-0 Scotland

Scotland emerged from a rainy night in Portugal washed out and looking more than a little wet behind the ears.

A torrential downpour meant the playing conditions in Braga were almost impossible and some absurd defending from Scotland added to the farcical nature of the friendly fixture.

First half lapses allowed Pauleta to claim two goals and there could have been more but for some near things and a penalty save from Rab Douglas.

The second period yielded no more goals due to sterner resistance from the Scots, although the removal of Pauleta, Luis Figo and Rui Costa may have been a more significant factor.

Celtic keeper Rab Douglas
Rab Douglas saved Figo's penalty
One might have thought the Scots would have been more used to the inclement conditions, but it was the Euro 2004 hosts who were in control right from the start.

The home side went in front after seven minutes when Sergio Conceicao found room in the penalty box.

He drove the ball hard and low towards goal where Pauleta was on hand to force it over the line after stealing in front of Steven Pressley.

A moment of madness from Lee Wilkie almost gifted the Portuguese a second goal just six minutes later.

The big Dundee defender stuck out a hand to divert a hopeful high ball and a penalty was awarded.

Douglas saved Wilkie's blushes with a great save to deny Figo from the spot.

However, the Celtic keeper was picking the ball out of the net again in the 18th minute after yet more calamitous defending.

Pauleta broke away from a square Scots rearguard, but looked to have lost his chance when the ball stuck on the waterlogged pitch.

News image
Simao drifts past Anderson and Alexander
Maurice Ross, racing back to recover; only succeeded in knocking the ball back into the path of the striker, who prodded it into the net from 15 yards.

Scott Dobie managed Scotland's first shot on goal after 26 minutes but the striker's drive skidded wide.

Graham Alexander then warmed the fingertips of goalkeeper Quim with a fierce low shot.

A strong header from Tiago cannoned off Douglas' crossbar with the Scots defence sleeping at a free kick.

The same player went close again when his curling shot went inches wide of the post.

Portugal rested some of their star names to give others a second half run-out, but the home side continued to dominate, albeit at a leisurely pace.

The numerous substitutions disrupted the pattern of play and Portugal's early flow petered out.

Nuno Gomes and Conceicao went close for Portugal, while the Scots were reduced to chasing shadows for long spells and didn't threaten a goal until a Christian Dailly header drifted narrowly wide in the 90th minute.


Portugal: Quim, Rocha, Jorge, Meira, Tiago, Couto, Figo, Pauleta, Sabrosa, Rui Costa, Sergio Conceicao. Subs: Nelson, Neca, Nuno Gomes, Marco Ferreira, Ribeiro, Ricardo Silva, Mendes, Sergio, Assis.

Scotland: Douglas, Anderson, Pressley, Wilkie, Graham Alexander, Lambert, Dailly, Naysmith, Ross, Dobie, Crawford. Subs: Gallacher, Davidson, Severin, Caldwell, Williams, Devlin, Kyle, McInnes, Neil Alexander.

Referee: V Angehelinei (Romania)

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 ON THIS STORY
BBC Five Live's Roddy Forsyth
"Rain made the first half ridiculous"
See also:

21 Nov 02 | Scotland
20 Nov 02 | Internationals
19 Nov 02 | Scotland
Links to more Scotland stories are at the foot of the page.


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