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Euro 2004: Host Portugal settles a score with Spain

Portugal's forward Luis Figo, foreground left, kicks a free kick in front of several of Spain's players during their Euro 2004 group A match on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Nuno Gomes sparked delirious celebrations across Portugal on Sunday when his goal sealed a 1-0 win over Spain and a ticket to the quarterfinals for the Euro 2004 hosts.

In the other Group A game in Faro, Russia beat Greece 2-1 in a match remarkable for Russian striker Dmitry Kirichenko scoring after 67 seconds, the fastest goal in the history of the finals.

Dmitry Bulykin scored a second for Russia but Greece qualified for their first quarterfinal thanks to a goal shortly before halftime by striker Zisis Vryzas.

That put them ahead of Spain on goals scored after the two teams finished level on points.

Portugal needed to beat their bigger Iberian neighbors for the first time since 1981 and the first time ever in a competitive fixture to avoid a sad exit from the tournament.

The tension was hanging heavy around the Jose Alvalade stadium from the first whistle and both sets of players appeared to be swallowed up by the occasion in a stop-start first half.

But Nuno Gomes, who starred for Portugal in their run to the semifinals four years ago, raised the roof in the 57th minute with a superb right foot finish after coming on as a substitute.

Portuguese fans celebrate at the end of the match on Sunday. PHOTO: EPA

The final whistle was greeted with an explosion of euphoria across the nation.

"It's going to be crazy tonight. People will lose their heads. I don't think there will be many people at work tomorrow," said Joao Fragoso, a technician from Lisbon.

Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who knew only a victory would be enough, paid tribute to the fans.

"Fortunately, we won and we're happy. I want to send congratulations to the public, which weren't the 12th player, but the 13th and the 14th," he said.

"Without them we wouldn't have had all this force to fight to qualify. Now we'll see what will happen."

For Spain, who needed only to draw, it is another chapter in a long history of under-achievement.

"The players are extremely low. We had great hopes for this tournament and had qualification within our grasp, but it just wasn't to be," said coach Inaki Saez.

The Lisbon battle between the two Iberian neighbors has been the only talking point in the capital for days.

In the hours before kickoff hundreds of good-natured Portuguese and Spanish fans, draped in their national colors, streamed into Lisbon's bars and squares to swig beer together.

Up and down the country from Braga to Faro houses and cars were decorated with Portuguese flags.

Newspaper headlines helped whip up the atmosphere. "It's all or nothing," rattled the sober Lisbon daily Diario de Noticias on Sunday. "Kill, kill," screamed the lead headline of a special section.

Greece captain Theodoros Zagorakis said qualification for the quarterfinals had put his team on the football map.

"It sook us some seconds to understand what had happened tonight. We fulfilled all our promises. We made Greece not just the talk of Europe but also of the world," he said.

Coach Otto Rehhagel said his team now had nothing to lose.

"Today there will only be joy, no criticism," he said. We have already won everything."

With three teams through -- the Czech Republic qualified on Saturday -- and five quarterfinal spots still to play for, the final round of group matches are fraying nerves in training camps across Portugal.

The tension in the Italian squad was vividly displayed by striker Christian Vieri who marched out of a news conference vowing not to speak to the Italian press again after newspapers reported on Sunday that he had argued with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon after Friday's 1-1 draw with Sweden.

"This is the last day that I speak to you," Vieri said. "You can say what you want about me as a player but when you offend me as a person, well ... I am more of a man than all of you put together." Italy play Bulgaria in Group C today.

Their were even ripples of discontent in the camp of champions France, with the players concerned about the tactics used in a 2-2 draw with Croatia in their second Group B match.

L'Equipe reported that captain Marcel Desailly and playmaker Zinedine Zidane went to coach Jacques Santini to plead for a change in their 4-4-2 line-up.

"The coach listened carefully to the two players," said L'Equipe. "But he has not given any answer to their request yet."

Scandinavian showdown

Denmark's fine wing play and Sweden's gifted strikers should determine the result of the Euro 2004 Group C decider today being played in the rarefied atmosphere of Italian-generated conspiracy theories.

The Swedes fear Denmark's unusual style for a Scandinavian team with Jesper Gronkjaer and Martin Joergensen switching wings, and surprise ploys at set pieces.

But they believe strongly in the capacity for a surprise of their own from pedigree striker Henrik Larsson and the unpredictable genius of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored a brilliant late equalizer against Italy on Friday.

Sweden's 1-1 draw with the Italians left them and Denmark, who beat Bulgaria 2-0, top of the group with four points each. Italy have two and Bulgaria none.

Italians are worried that Denmark and Sweden could end up with a draw of 2-2 or more that, assuming Italy beat Bulgaria, would leave all three on five points and knock Italy out on goals scored. Denmark drew 0-0 with Italy on Monday.

The Swedes called the idea of a Scandinavian conspiracy Machiavellian.

"We're just going to go out there to try and do our best to win," Larsson said on Sunday.

Sweden's scout Benny Lennartsson, a key associate of joint coaches Lars Lagerback and Tommy Soderberg, thinks Denmark are the best team in the group.

"The Danes are very dangerous coming inside with Gronkjaer and Joergensen.

"We are wary of their switch play which is not typical of the Nordic countries," he said.

"Zlatan scores like [Netherlands striker Ruud] Van Nistelrooy, out of nothing. I don't see the Danes scoring out of nothing."
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