We are the Champions!

England has the World at their feet after beating Portugal

After dominating most part of the game, but not being able to capitalize, the British team had to go to the penalties, again after eliminating Argentina in the Quarters, to beat the Portuguese and lift up the trophy.

Mundialito Oporto Indoor (Final)

July 12th of 2014, 22 hours

England, 2

Portugal, 2

*3-2 after penalties

At Oporto indoor Games

England – Daniel Banks; Litos Gerrard, Tony Lampard, Pedro Crouch, Sergio Wright Phillips [C].

From the bench: Pedro Beckham (2), Norberto Gascoigne, Leandro Lineker, Max Seaman [GK].

Coach: Tózé Robson

Mid-term: 1-1

March of the score: 1-0; 1-2; 2-2

It was a game that England ruled from the beginning. Before scoring at the middle of the first half, England had already had a handful of clear opportunities. Rui Patricio was by then the star of the game…

The first goal was born of a foul that Crouch suffered in the area’s border. Gerrard took the ball and when everybody expected a strong shot, he placed the ball next to the pole, where Beckham just had to give a small touch to direct it to the net.

With the advantage, England started controlling the pace, but became less dangerous. In the last minute, Ronaldo tied the game with a great shot, but taking advantage of a referee’s mistake that didn’t saw the ball passing to the outer side of the lateral line…

The second half was not that different from the first, as England kept being the strongest team on the field. In two different occasions, the referee was friend to the Portuguese, overlooking two fouls that stopped goal opportunities by Wright Phillips and Gerrard.

Surprisingly it was Portugal that reached the advantage, with an unexpected shot by Nani. With only five or six minutes to play, Robson had to take the chance and introduced Beckham as the keeper, playing with five players in the attack.

Lampard had the opportunity to score, after an amazing pass from Gascoigne, but the ball was stopped by Alves. Not long after that Crouch received the ball and passed it to Beckham. With not much of a clear margin to shoot, Beckham chose to shot it high and Rui Patricio could not stop that ball.

A 2-2 draw was the result. Although doing more than the opponent and definitely enough to win the game in the 40 minutes, England had to go to the penalty lottery. Same as the game with Argentina in the quarter finals, the British didn’t miss one single shot, while Ronaldo, the best of the Portuguese, sent a ball to the pole, allowing Gerrard to give the nation, an amazing happiness. 

For all that, “We are the Champions”!!!

Penalties shoot-out

0-1                        Miguel Veloso

1-1                       Crouch

-      Ronaldo missed

2-1         Gascoigne

2-2         Bruno Alves

3-2         Gerrard

Man of the game

Pedro Beckham – 8

Possibly not the best performance in the field, but no doubt it was the “star” of the match. Scored the two goals, which allowed England to go to the penalties lottery.

The other members

Lineker - 6
Banks, Lampard, Wright Phillips, Seaman – 7

Gerrard, Crouch, Gascoigne – 8