Spain against Portugal

Valente eventually sends a ball across the goal with the outside of his foot and Costinha is all alone with time to pick his spot and end the game. 10 yards out it's a free header...

Short corner form Portugal and Deco is happy to hold the ball up near the corner flag

Another free kick in the centre circle won by Deco. Raul the guilty man trying to track back for his side

Lobbed ball to the back post from Helguera sees Torres rise highest but despite making a good contact his header is off the mark

Final substitution for Portugal as Ronaldo is withdrawn and replaced by Couto.

Deco 'earns' his side a free kick and some time when playing down the left with little support. Very professional...

This last ten minutes looks like it's going to be Spain surguing forward with Portugal digging in and breaking into the masses of space at the other end. It's not going to be pretty but it should be exciting

Last throw of the dice time for Spain as Morientes finally makes an apperance. Juanito the man to make way

As the second is cleared up steps Vicente drills a long range effort just wide as Luque stretches to deflect it in but is a yard short of his aim

The crowd whistling their derision as Spain get a couple of corners in quick succession

Substitution for Portugal, and it signals a defensive approach for the Portuguese for the last 15 minutes. Figo off: Petit on.

First, as a break was on with three against three, Torres cuts back when he should hve piled forward and loses the advantage. But Spain continue forward and eventually a dinked ball over the last defender finds Luque with a glorious one on one with the keeper. Tries to lob him but Carvalho heads out from his own six yard box. Really should have done better

Spain spurn a number of good positions as the match becomes more and more frantic

It's all getting a bit tetchy now as free kick after free kick is awarded. Puyol joins the others in the referee's notebook for a barge in the back of Ronaldo

Second substitution from Spain as the disappointing Joaquin leaves to be replaced by Alberto Luque

Deco turns Juanito in the centre circle but the Spaniard catches him to concede a free kick. Deco motions that his opponent should be booked and so sent off. Horrible to see from such a gifted player

Little bit of eyeballing and handbags from messers Puyol and Ronaldo. Now, now children

Resulting corner draws Casillas out but it is longer than he thought and at the back post Costinha is arriving and sends a downward header goalwards. The keeper though recovers well to make a crucial save

Free kick, dead centre but along way out, from Figo has Casillas scrambling to his far post to turn the ball round the post. Probably wasn't going in but he had to be sure

Gomes looks to be heading for another decent chance before he is crudely upended by Juantio who is booked

Figo turns Puyol, ball runs away from him so he falls over his opponent's leg, free kick. All very predictable

Substitution for Spain. Straight swap as Albelda makes way for Ruben Baraja

Gomes continues to make an impact but he won't be as happy about the late, late challenge on Puyol that gets him a yellow card

Three against three For the attacking Portuguese but Deco's threaded ball finds Gomes in an offside position. Wasteful

We have a real game on now as the Spaniards have been shalen from their defensive sensibilities and are looking to attack. The spread out play means there is space all over now

Spain go even closer! Glorious through ball along the ground coupled with a twist and run off the last defender by Torres sees him one on one with the keeper. Beats the grounded Ricardo all ends up but his dinked shot comes off the post and goes behind. Desperately unlucky

What a miss by Raul. Wondeful ball from Vincente draws Ricardo out and his attempted punch just helps it on to Raul's head with the goal at his mercy. Perhaps the keeper's intervention put him off but a striker of his class should have scored

Everything has changed. The atmosphere is electric and the game has been given a jump start. Should be interesting from here

Wonderful interchange of passing involving first Deco, with a flick, then Figo, with a pass up to Gomes with his back to goal on the edge of the area. Figo runs past to take defenders, turn by Gomes and a blistering strike from outside the box into the bottom left hand corner. Quality goal. 1-0 Portugal and if it finishes like this, they are top and Spain are out

At last something of real quality in this game. Goal to Portugal!

Scrappy period of play that will suit the Spaniards cause better than their opponents

The volume of the crowd has dropped considerably in the last few minutes. One senses some nervousness around the stands

Free kick from Vincente is poor and actually strikes the back of raul who had made a run into space in the box

The hard working Torres is felled to earn his side a free kick in a dangerous position. 35 yards out and slightly to the right.

Comunication breakdown between Deco and Valente. Deco took a pass and turned with alacrity but as he strode forward his team mate did not go with him and so the angled pass wide is to no one

Maniche, the inspiration for Portugal against Russia, tries something special again. A Rasping drive from all of 35 yards carries the force but not the direction required to trouble Casillas

Raul plays a reverse diagonal pass round the back of the Portuguese defence from the edge of the box that almost puts Torres in on goal. His first touch is a bit heavy though and Carvalho steals possession off him. Flagged for offside anyway

Raul sees half a chnce snuffed out by a fine blocking tackle from Miguel as he receives the ball in the box

Ronaldo and Gomes play some neat little touches and flicks between themselves out on the right touchline but when Gomes tries to break forward he is met by a white shirted brick wall. Positive start from the substitute though

One change at half time sees the ineffectualPauleta make way for Nuno Gomes

The longer it stays 0-0 the more frantic will the Portuguese become and the more frustrated the crowd will get. My money's on a Spain win here but there is plenty of football to be played yet

Portugal have been on top of this game for long spells but, for all their excellent wing play from Figo and Ronaldo, they carry no real goal threat - Pauleta on his own easy enough for the Spanish to deal with. Spain will be happy enough with the situation as they have broken well a number of times and come as close to their opponents to breaking the deadlock

Whistle goes and the half times in group A are 0-0 Spain/Portugal and 2-1 to the Russians in the other match.

Delicious arcing ball from Figo tempts Casillas out of his box but Ronaldo, airborne and arriving late, just gets there first but his glancing header goes agonisingly wide of the empty net. Closest they have come to a goal

Simple stuff from Spain. Pacey corner into the six yad box leaves Ricardo stranded but Torres, given a virtual free header, sends the ball over the bar where he should have scored

Portugal regain possession and a flighted ball up to the edge of the box from Miguel is helped on by the head of Pauleta but Costinha can't direct the chance on target

Corner is once more quite poor

On his own touchline Puyol, attempting to crash the ball against Deco to get a goal kick, gets in a tangle and concedes a corner

Portugal have had the lions share of possession, often in Spain's final third but it is Spain who look more dangerous in the box. Finely balanced

Joaquin, really struggling to get into this match, is well marshalled by Andrade down the right and his industrious run comes to zip

Ronaldo on the ball (the left this time if you're asking) skips past Puyol and fires over a ball that Raul Bravo does well to clear

When it finally comes again the ball eventually lands at the feet of Helguera who shoots wide

Corner for Spain is retaken after the referee spots a bit of argy bargy in the Portugal box

Raul plays one of the longest one twos I've seen in my life. From the centre of the pitch he sent a diagonal ball out to Vincente on the left touchline. His cut back to the penalty spot is just too far in front of Raul for him to control as Ricardo comes out to block

Joaquin - barely having had a touch so far - shows his threat with a run down the right but his cross, with both strikers lurking in the box, does not arrive as he is muscled out by Valente

Figo makes a few yards for himself in the middle of the pitch with a drop of the shoulder then takes several strides forward before shooting from distance but once more his effort is charged down

Breathless game with Portugal bossing it without completely dominating. They really do need to capitalise on this good spell sooner rather than later

Break down the other end sees Ricardo having to be clever as he slides feet first out of his box to deny the onrushing Torres at the last second. Perfectly timed challenge. He would make a fine centre back

Popping up this time on the right he glides into the box and cuts back to Figo. His shot is low and hard but there are too many bodies in the box and it is blocked

Every time Ronaldo gets the ball the crowd hold the breath and the Spanish players look terrified

Vincente shows good running to get to the edge of the box but, with men over, Valente stands up to him and then with the loose ball does a back heel in his own box to take the Spaniard out of the game. Very nice to watch but I doubt his manager will be happy about that sort of business

More news from the Russia Greece match. Two nil to the already eliminated Russians. Winner from this game, then, can claim the top spot the way it's going

Ronaldo is the catalyst for all of Portugal's attacks at the moment and his speed and trickery is scaring the Spanish defence. A jinking run and cross earns yet another corner

Players on both sides happy to hit the deck under any sort of challenge. Referee's having none of it so far but terrible to see

Decent strike on goal from a tightish angle inside the box on the right from Miguel. Difficult to score from there but draws a decent save at the near post from Casillas

Cracking opening to this game with pace, invention and drive from the home side and swift breaks from Spain

Torres rides two tackles in a cross field run that takes him into the opposition box but Andrade is strong in the third tackle to deny him

Long punt forward sets Ronaldo and Bravo in a race to the corner flag for the ball. The Spaniard steps over to let it run out but Ronaldo gets it and swings over a decent low cross but the break was so fast no one is there to connect

Magnificent cross from Vincente aimed at Torres is good but the linesmans flag and Valente combine to deny him twice

Figo, making a bursting run down the right nicks the ball past Real Madrid team mate Helguera and looks for a free kick off him. The referee is not fooled for a second

Spain show they carry an attacking threat of their own with some neat passes and a threaded ball from Raul aimed for Torres that is well read by Carvalho

The possession and the initiative is with the home side. A great passing move breaks down just as Ronaldo appeared to be moving into a shooting position. They need to amke hay whilst this sun is shinning

Deco corner from the right breaks the first rule of set piece balls into the box and doesn't clear the first defender

News filters through of a Russian goal in the other game, much to the delight of the Portuguese crowd

One one on yellows now as Albelda is quite harshly treated for what was barely a foul

Ball in over the top is left by Helguera and Pauleta is on to it but brings the ball down with his hand - bringing the first yellow card of the game. Pauleta will miss the quarter final now, even if his team get there

Short one sees Deco skip past his marker but the Porto man is then pulled back for a free kick out by the corner flag. Delivery is not the best and the opportunity wasted

Portugal, as you would expect being at home and needing a win, are forcing the tempo early on and a strong run from Miguel is not matched by the cross. But a corne ris earned

Kick swung over by Figo is deep but, after a defensive intervention, Casillas is able to get a first comfortable feel of the ball

Quick throw down the left for Portugal sees Pauleta fouled by Juanito and a free kick in a dangerous position

Figo shows he is fired up for the game with an early burst through the Spanish midfield but it comes to nothing

Joaquin shows uncharacteristic poor control in space on the right and concedes a throw-in deep in the Portugal half

A huge roar greets the start of this local squabble

Plenty of Spanish fans have made the short trip to the Estadio Jose Alvalade but, for obvious reasons, the majority of support here today is for the home nation. Expect passion, expect nerves, expect skill and expect a few fireworks when one of these big names stares a first round exit in the face towards the end of the match. The Permatanned Anders Frisk will have his work cut out tonight I think...

Spain coach Inaki Saez has made four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Greece. As expected, in-form winger Joaquin replaced the injured Joseba Etxeberria on the right with Juanito deputising for the suspended Carlos Marchena in central defence - the Betis defender making his first appearance in the tournament. The biggest surprise is the inclusion of young Atletico Madrid forward Fernando Torres in place of experienced striker Fernando Morientes, who scored against the Greeks. Saez ma

With the hosts needing a victory in order to stay alive in the tournament, while just one point would be sufficient for their Iberian neighbours to progress to the quarter-final stages, neither team can afford any mistakes in this one. With that in mind Big Phil has stuck with the same line-up that beat Russia, with the only exception being Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo making his first start in the competition in place of Benfica's Simao Sabrosa. Deco is once again chosen to

Deco turns Juanito in the centre circle but the Spaniard catches him to concede a free kick. Deco motions that his opponent should be booked and so sent off. Horrible to see from such a gifted player

Little bit of eyeballing and handbags from messers Puyol and Ronaldo. Now, now children

Resulting corner draws Casillas out but it is longer than he thought and at the back post Costinha is arriving and sends a downward header goalwards. The keeper though recovers well to make a crucial save

Free kick, dead centre but along way out, from Figo has Casillas scrambling to his far post to turn the ball round the post. Probably wasn't going in but he had to be sure

Gomes looks to be heading for another decent chance before he is crudely upended by Juantio who is booked

Figo turns Puyol, ball runs away from him so he falls over his opponent's leg, free kick. All very predictable

Substitution for Spain. Straight swap as Albelda makes way for Ruben Baraja

Gomes continues to make an impact but he won't be as happy about the late, late challenge on Puyol that gets him a yellow card

Three against three For the attacking Portuguese but Deco's threaded ball finds Gomes in an offside position. Wasteful

We have a real game on now as the Spaniards have been shalen from their defensive sensibilities and are looking to attack. The spread out play means there is space all over now

Spain go even closer! Glorious through ball along the ground coupled with a twist and run off the last defender by Torres sees him one on one with the keeper. Beats the grounded Ricardo all ends up but his dinked shot comes off the post and goes behind. Desperately unlucky

What a miss by Raul. Wondeful ball from Vincente draws Ricardo out and his attempted punch just helps it on to Raul's head with the goal at his mercy. Perhaps the keeper's intervention put him off but a striker of his class should have scored

Everything has changed. The atmosphere is electric and the game has been given a jump start. Should be interesting from here

Wonderful interchange of passing involving first Deco, with a flick, then Figo, with a pass up to Gomes with his back to goal on the edge of the area. Figo runs past to take defenders, turn by Gomes and a blistering strike from outside the box into the bottom left hand corner. Quality goal. 1-0 Portugal and if it finishes like this, they are top and Spain are out

At last something of real quality in this game. Goal to Portugal!

Scrappy period of play that will suit the Spaniards cause better than their opponents

The volume of the crowd has dropped considerably in the last few minutes. One senses some nervousness around the stands

Free kick from Vincente is poor and actually strikes the back of raul who had made a run into space in the box

The hard working Torres is felled to earn his side a free kick in a dangerous position. 35 yards out and slightly to the right.

Comunication breakdown between Deco and Valente. Deco took a pass and turned with alacrity but as he strode forward his team mate did not go with him and so the angled pass wide is to no one

Maniche, the inspiration for Portugal against Russia, tries something special again. A Rasping drive from all of 35 yards carries the force but not the direction required to trouble Casillas

Raul plays a reverse diagonal pass round the back of the Portuguese defence from the edge of the box that almost puts Torres in on goal. His first touch is a bit heavy though and Carvalho steals possession off him. Flagged for offside anyway

Raul sees half a chnce snuffed out by a fine blocking tackle from Miguel as he receives the ball in the box

Ronaldo and Gomes play some neat little touches and flicks between themselves out on the right touchline but when Gomes tries to break forward he is met by a white shirted brick wall. Positive start from the substitute though

One change at half time sees the ineffectualPauleta make way for Nuno Gomes

The longer it stays 0-0 the more frantic will the Portuguese become and the more frustrated the crowd will get. My money's on a Spain win here but there is plenty of football to be played yet

Portugal have been on top of this game for long spells but, for all their excellent wing play from Figo and Ronaldo, they carry no real goal threat - Pauleta on his own easy enough for the Spanish to deal with. Spain will be happy enough with the situation as they have broken well a number of times and come as close to their opponents to breaking the deadlock

Whistle goes and the half times in group A are 0-0 Spain/Portugal and 2-1 to the Russians in the other match.

Delicious arcing ball from Figo tempts Casillas out of his box but Ronaldo, airborne and arriving late, just gets there first but his glancing header goes agonisingly wide of the empty net. Closest they have come to a goal

Simple stuff from Spain. Pacey corner into the six yad box leaves Ricardo stranded but Torres, given a virtual free header, sends the ball over the bar where he should have scored

Portugal regain possession and a flighted ball up to the edge of the box from Miguel is helped on by the head of Pauleta but Costinha can't direct the chance on target

Corner is once more quite poor

On his own touchline Puyol, attempting to crash the ball against Deco to get a goal kick, gets in a tangle and concedes a corner

Portugal have had the lions share of possession, often in Spain's final third but it is Spain who look more dangerous in the box. Finely balanced

Joaquin, really struggling to get into this match, is well marshalled by Andrade down the right and his industrious run comes to zip

Ronaldo on the ball (the left this time if you're asking) skips past Puyol and fires over a ball that Raul Bravo does well to clear

When it finally comes again the ball eventually lands at the feet of Helguera who shoots wide

Corner for Spain is retaken after the referee spots a bit of argy bargy in the Portugal box

Raul plays one of the longest one twos I've seen in my life. From the centre of the pitch he sent a diagonal ball out to Vincente on the left touchline. His cut back to the penalty spot is just too far in front of Raul for him to control as Ricardo comes out to block

Joaquin - barely having had a touch so far - shows his threat with a run down the right but his cross, with both strikers lurking in the box, does not arrive as he is muscled out by Valente

Figo makes a few yards for himself in the middle of the pitch with a drop of the shoulder then takes several strides forward before shooting from distance but once more his effort is charged down

Breathless game with Portugal bossing it without completely dominating. They really do need to capitalise on this good spell sooner rather than later

Break down the other end sees Ricardo having to be clever as he slides feet first out of his box to deny the onrushing Torres at the last second. Perfectly timed challenge. He would make a fine centre back

Popping up this time on the right he glides into the box and cuts back to Figo. His shot is low and hard but there are too many bodies in the box and it is blocked

Every time Ronaldo gets the ball the crowd hold the breath and the Spanish players look terrified

Vincente shows good running to get to the edge of the box but, with men over, Valente stands up to him and then with the loose ball does a back heel in his own box to take the Spaniard out of the game. Very nice to watch but I doubt his manager will be happy about that sort of business

More news from the Russia Greece match. Two nil to the already eliminated Russians. Winner from this game, then, can claim the top spot the way it's going

Ronaldo is the catalyst for all of Portugal's attacks at the moment and his speed and trickery is scaring the Spanish defence. A jinking run and cross earns yet another corner

Players on both sides happy to hit the deck under any sort of challenge. Referee's having none of it so far but terrible to see

Decent strike on goal from a tightish angle inside the box on the right from Miguel. Difficult to score from there but draws a decent save at the near post from Casillas

Cracking opening to this game with pace, invention and drive from the home side and swift breaks from Spain

Torres rides two tackles in a cross field run that takes him into the opposition box but Andrade is strong in the third tackle to deny him

Long punt forward sets Ronaldo and Bravo in a race to the corner flag for the ball. The Spaniard steps over to let it run out but Ronaldo gets it and swings over a decent low cross but the break was so fast no one is there to connect

Magnificent cross from Vincente aimed at Torres is good but the linesmans flag and Valente combine to deny him twice

Figo, making a bursting run down the right nicks the ball past Real Madrid team mate Helguera and looks for a free kick off him. The referee is not fooled for a second

Spain show they carry an attacking threat of their own with some neat passes and a threaded ball from Raul aimed for Torres that is well read by Carvalho

The possession and the initiative is with the home side. A great passing move breaks down just as Ronaldo appeared to be moving into a shooting position. They need to amke hay whilst this sun is shinning

Deco corner from the right breaks the first rule of set piece balls into the box and doesn't clear the first defender

News filters through of a Russian goal in the other game, much to the delight of the Portuguese crowd

One one on yellows now as Albelda is quite harshly treated for what was barely a foul

Ball in over the top is left by Helguera and Pauleta is on to it but brings the ball down with his hand - bringing the first yellow card of the game. Pauleta will miss the quarter final now, even if his team get there

Short one sees Deco skip past his marker but the Porto man is then pulled back for a free kick out by the corner flag. Delivery is not the best and the opportunity wasted

Portugal, as you would expect being at home and needing a win, are forcing the tempo early on and a strong run from Miguel is not matched by the cross. But a corne ris earned

Kick swung over by Figo is deep but, after a defensive intervention, Casillas is able to get a first comfortable feel of the ball

Quick throw down the left for Portugal sees Pauleta fouled by Juanito and a free kick in a dangerous position

Figo shows he is fired up for the game with an early burst through the Spanish midfield but it comes to nothing

Joaquin shows uncharacteristic poor control in space on the right and concedes a throw-in deep in the Portugal half

A huge roar greets the start of this local squabble

Plenty of Spanish fans have made the short trip to the Estadio Jose Alvalade but, for obvious reasons, the majority of support here today is for the home nation. Expect passion, expect nerves, expect skill and expect a few fireworks when one of these big names stares a first round exit in the face towards the end of the match. The Permatanned Anders Frisk will have his work cut out tonight I think...

Spain coach Inaki Saez has made four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Greece. As expected, in-form winger Joaquin replaced the injured Joseba Etxeberria on the right with Juanito deputising for the suspended Carlos Marchena in central defence - the Betis defender making his first appearance in the tournament. The biggest surprise is the inclusion of young Atletico Madrid forward Fernando Torres in place of experienced striker Fernando Morientes, who scored against the Greeks. Saez ma

With the hosts needing a victory in order to stay alive in the tournament, while just one point would be sufficient for their Iberian neighbours to progress to the quarter-final stages, neither team can afford any mistakes in this one. With that in mind Big Phil has stuck with the same line-up that beat Russia, with the only exception being Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo making his first start in the competition in place of Benfica's Simao Sabrosa. Deco is once again chosen to