Portugal 1 Holland 0 (June 25, 2006)
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Luiz Felipe Scolari looked beyond the controversy of a record 16 yellow cards and four expulsions in Portugal's 1-0 win over Holland to praise his team's fighting qualities as they booked a World Cup quarter-final clash with England.
Former Chelsea midfielder Maniche scored the only goal in a game that saw Costinha and Deco sent off for Portugal while Dutchmen Khalid Boulahrouz and Giovanni van Bronckhorst were also dismissed.
Russian referee Valentin Ivanov equalled the most ever bookings in a World Cup game and also dished out a record four dismissals, but Scolari, naturally, was keen to focus on his team's success.
"I'm just happy," said the Brazilian, who will face off against England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in the quarter-finals of a third straight major tournament.
"For many years Portugal hasn't seen such togetherness in the name of Portugal, fighting so much and doing so much for Portugal. They did what they had to do and so we have to congratulate our team, our athletes."
Eight of Ivanov's yellow cards were awarded to four players as the two teams finished the game with nine players apiece.
First to go was midfielder Costinha, who received his second booking in first-half injury-time for deliberate hand ball and 18 minutes into the second half Boulahrouz was also heading for the changing rooms after he caught Luis Figo in the face with his arm.
In fact, Boulahrouz was fortunate not to be dismissed just seven minutes into the game after his horrendous challenge on Cristiano Ronaldo only earned a yellow card and the Manchester United winger had to eventually leave the field after failing to shake off the injury.
Deco was the next to go 13 minutes from time when he was booked twice in five minutes, firstly for fouling John Heitinga and then for holding on to the ball after the Dutch had been awarded a free-kick.
Five minutes into injury-time van Bronckhorst became the fourth player to head for the sidelines for a foul on substitute Tiago.
Indeed, such was the flurry of cards in the latter stages of the game that Maniche's 23rd-minute goal was almost forgotten.
The midfielder capped a well-constructed move by the Portuguese after Ronaldo claimed possession deep in the Dutch half before feeding Deco down the right, and his cross found Pauleta with his back to goal.
The Paris St Germain striker then laid off to Maniche, who skipped past the challenge of Andre Ooijer before slotting past Edwin van der Sar.
It was the kind of football Dutch coach Marco van Basten lamented not seeing in the final 45 minutes as the Portuguese used all their guile and experience to break up the rhythm of the match.
"I think it's a pity that in the second half not a lot of football was played," said the former AC Milan forward.
"We saw very little football. Also it's a pity that a referee in such an important game should act in this way. We haven't been able to see enough football in the second half."
Scolari will now face England without the services of Deco and Costinha while Ronaldo remains a doubt, but the Brazilian remains optimistic.
"I have 23 players, two can't play and Cristiano Ronaldo has five or six days to recover and we hope he will recover," he said.
"I have good players and I'm going to prepare the team that faces England. All we can think of is this priceless victory and the team deserves that Portugal gives them their value, not because of what they have done at the World Cup but because of what they did today."
Date
June 25, 2006
