Millions of flag-waving, car-honking Portuguese celebrated their nation's first berth in a major soccer final. Suddenly that stunning opening-game loss to Greece was a distant memory.
A month after FC Porto won Europe's biggest prize for clubs -- the Champions League -- Portugal on Wednesday made it to the Euro 2004 championship game by beating the Netherlands 2-1.
The host nation, in despair when their stars lost 2-1 to the Greeks in the first game of the three-week tournament, was ecstatic after this historic semifinal victory.
PHOTO: REUTERS
With Luis Figo showing the form that won him FIFA's Player of the Year in 2001, the Portuguese finally made it to a final after semifinal exits at the 1966 World Cup and the 1984 and 2000 Euros.
"I'd trade everything I've ever won for this one moment," Figo said, looking ahead to the July 4 final in Lisbon. Portugal will meet either Greece of the Czech Republic.
"The support we've been getting, just thinking about it gives me goose bumps."
PHOTO: REUTERS
The result means that coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has the chance to become the first to lead two different teams to both the World Cup and European title. Two years ago, he guided his Brazilian countrymen to their fifth World Cup triumph.
"It's a historic moment for the country" Figo said. "I think Portugal has fantastic players, young players, and the country has to be happy for the future because we have all the conditions to continue to have a great team. It's difficult to describe the emotions, but we are really happy because the people can enjoy it and celebrate tonight."
Cristiano Ronaldo headed home a corner in the 26th minute and Nuno Maniche drove a stunning 22m strike into the top left corner of Edwin van der Sar's goal in the 58th to put the host two goals ahead before a Jorge Andrade own-goal gave the Dutch some hope.
The Dutch, who won the Euro title in 1988, lost in the semifinal for the second time in a row, beaten by Italy four years ago in Rotterdam.
"You always come here to win the final but we got to the semifinal and it was good to come this far," said Dutch coach Dick Advocaat.
"But the best team won tonight. Portugal controlled almost the whole game, especially in the first-half, and deserved to reach the final."
At the final whistle some Portuguese players fell flat on the grass, exhausted and unbelieving. In the packed stands the ecstatic fans chanted, waved red and green scarves and jumped up and down waving thousands of Portuguese flags.
Before 46,679 fans at Sporting Lisbon's Jose Alvalade Stadium, the Portuguese regularly opened up a Dutch defense missing injured veteran Frank de Boer. The Portuguese could had led 2-0 or 3-0 at halftime. In the ninth minute Figo, who was the main source of the best Portuguese moves and was named man of the match, broke down the right and sent over a low cross. Ronaldo, sliding in just three meters from the goalline, was unable to get his foot to the ball.
But the Portuguese were soon ahead, this time from a corner.
Ronaldo won it on the left, Deco delivered the cross and the teenager was perfectly positioned and unmarked to head home from close range.
The Dutch had a chance to level within a minute, but the unmarked Marc Overmars, recalled for his first start of the championship, fired over the bar with an angled 10-meter strike after Edgar Davids' left wing cross had been flicked on.
The Portuguese should have gone two ahead when Deco sent Maniche clear down the right and his low cross found Pauleta in front of goal. The Paris Saint Germain striker, recalled instead of the injured Nuno Gomes, had left his marker and got in a close-range shot. But it was too close to Van der Sar, who pushed it round the post.
Five minutes before halftime, Figo again came close when he cut in from the right and fired a leftfooted shot that beat Van der Sar but hit the far post.
A second Portuguese goal came in the 58th minute when Jaap Stam's headed clearance at the near post gave the home team a corner. Maniche collected the short corner and unleashed an angled 22m shot that flew past Van der Sar and into the top corner.
The Portuguese fans were still celebrating when their team conceded an own goal in the 63rd minute.
There seemed no danger when Giovanni Van Bronckhorst sent a cross into the box from the left, but Andrade stretched his leg trying to clear and the ball bounced off his leg and past goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira.
It could have been worse for the home team a minute later when Phillip Cocu and Van Bronckhorst just failed to make contact with a Clarence Seedorf free kick.
Deco should have made it 3-1 in the final minute of injury time when he collected a crossfield ball from Figo but shot straight at Van der Sar.
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