Czechia against Portugal

Scolari is frantically gesturing to his players from the bench as time ticks away.

Jarolin gets a kick in the face from Petit but nothing comes from the freekick.

The last throw of the dice form the Czech bench. The impressive Plasil is replaced by Jarolim.

Pepe misjudges the bounce of the ball and Koller sniffs a chance. Ricardo rushes off his line to snuff out the danger.

Plasil plays the ball wide, Grygera crosses and Sionko can only head the ball over the bar. He had great chance to score there.

Deco spins in midfield and plays a through-ball for Almeida, who is flagged offside.

Quaresma wins a freekick with his first contribution.

Portugal make their final change as Simao is replaced by Quaresma.

Portugal make another change. Gomes goes off and Almeida comes on.

Plasil whips the ball into the box. Sionko sets himself to shoot but Baros nips in front and heads wide of the goal. Sionko is furious with his team-mate!

...Simao eventually takes it and smashes his shot straight inot the wall. It is a fair bet he will not take the next one.

Portugal have a freekick 26 yards out and there are three players wanting to take it. Ronaldo and Simao are left standing over the ball...

Portugal respond with a change of their own. Moutinho goes off and is replaced by Meira.

The Czechs make another change. Midfield anchorman Galasek goes off and the big striker koller comes on.

Plasil collects a wild pass and then lofts the ball over the Portugal defence for Jankulovski, who squanders possession.

The game has stopped while Petit gets some treatment.

Grygera cross deep to the far post, Plasil nods the ball back across the face of goal and when a shot finally comes in it is blocked. That was a good chance for the Czechs.

The Czech's make a change and it is not Koller coming on. Matejovsky goes off and is replaced by Vicek.

Portugal can't seem to cope with the Czech's set pieces and that looks like being their best route back into this match.

Jankulovski lofts in a cross from a freekick. Ricardo comes off his line and once again flaps at the ball. Grygera's shot at the back post is blocked.

The Czechs must fight back once again.

Ronaldo's shot went past three defenders and that probably unsighted Cech in the goal - still a great goal though.

Deco threads the ball through to Ronaldo, who shoots first time form the edge of the box and hits the back of the net. GOAL!!!

...Plasil delivers. Jankulovski flicks the ball on at the near post and Sionko and Baros are both inches away from scoring at the back post.

Carvalho concedes a corner. Let's see if the Czech's can make something of this...

Portugal are well on top at the moment and their is no doubt that Cech has been the much busier of the two goalkeepers.

Somai gets in behind Jankulovski and sqaures the ball across the goal. Cech claims the ball.

Deco draws three players towards him and then slips the ball to Simao, who drives into the box and shoots. Cech is up the challenge and makes yet another save - if somewhat routine.

The Czechs are preapring for Koller to come on - Baros has ran himself ragged.

Once again it is a poor corner.

Gomes gets past Rozenhaal but the defender recovers to block the striker's shot at the expense of a corner.

Simao smuggles a pass to Gomes, who spins Ufalusi and scoops a shot at Cech. The Portugal forward just couldn't get the power into his effort that was required.

Baros is buzzing around the Portugal defenders, chasing every pass down, but the service to him has not been great.

Portugal's corner comes to nothing: they have posed little threat from them so far.

Ferreira whips in a good cross from the left. Rozenhaal gets his head to the ball but at the expense of a corner.

Plasil controls a high ball expertly. Sionko drives inot the box from the right and flashes a cross across the face of goal... it just needed a touch from either Baros or Plasil.

Scolari's side have started brightly again. Pepe pushes out of defence and wins a corner for his side.

Portugal get the second-half underway. No changes for either team.

After going a goal down the Czechs will probably be happier at the break, having fought their way back into the game and then gone on to edge the half - despite Portugal getting back into it towards the end.

...Ronaldo hits it! But Cech scoops up the shot with ease. The whistle blows for half-time.

Portugal keep possession until Ferreira comes back onto the pitch. Deco wins a freekick in the interim and Portugal have a chance to shoot at goal just before the break...

Sionko gets treatment for a facial wound, as does Ferreira. The game restarts with a drop-ball.

Ufalusi catches Ronaldo in the face with a raised arm but the game goes on until two more players collapse in a heap.

Baros gets the ball and throws his hands up in fruastration as he has no support from his team-mates.

Ronaldo nicks the ball off Sionko and fires off right foot shot. Cech scrambles across his goal to make a good save.

...Deco takes it short, Simao crosses and Ufalusi concedes another corner.

Both Portugal fullbacks are pushing forward; this time it is Ferreira and he wins a corner...

Boswinga drives forward again but his attacking effort is absolute toilet.

Rozenhaal slips the ball through the midfield to Baros, who shruggs off Carvalho but is hauled to the ground by the defender. The resulting freekick comes to nought.

Baros breaks for the Czechs he beats Ferreira but then runs back inot him and then his cross into the box was dire. Baros should have done much better then.

Ferriera plays a one-two with Ronaldo and smashes his cross straight into the face off Grygera, who goes down injured.

Galasek checks the run of Ronaldo - who has been kept fairly quiet for the last 15 minutes.

Galasek gives Gomes (yes he is on the pitch) a shove in the back and Portugal win a freekick.

Boswinga pushes forward from right-back but needlessly fouls Galasek on the edge of the Czechs' penalty area and gets booked.

The Czech's have another corner. Plasil's deliver beats a flapping Ricardo but Sionko connect with the cross at the back post.

Matejovsky clatters into the back of Petit, who claims he was stmaped on by the Czech player. Didn't look like it to me.

Sionko controls a long pass and brings Plasil into the attack. The Czechs swarm forward but Pepe wins the ball back for Portugal.

Ronaldo drives through midfield and draws four players towards him. The forward shoots from 30-yards and forces a good, low save from Cech.

Deco cuts in from the left, space opens up and he hits a shot from the edge of the box that drifts high and wide. It must be a Portugal tactic to shoot from long-range.

Polak gets past Ferreira but overruns the ball and fouls Pepe as he tries to keep possession. It was a bad foul and Polak is the first to go into the ref's book.

The Czechs probe down the left flank. Plasil crosses but can't find a colleague in the box.

Petit smahses in yet another speculative shot form long-range. He doesn't even hit the target this time.

Portugal seem unfazed by the equaliser and are happy to ping the ball around in the midfield.

The Czechs are right back in this game now and it is nothing less than they deserve after a slow start.

Plasil whips in a good delivery from the corner. Sionko powers through the Portugal defence to arrow a header past Ricardo. GOAL!!!

Sionko beats Pepe. He cuts it back in the box as Portugal panic and concede a corner.

Grygera crosses from the right. Baros leaps and manages to get his head to the ball but guides his effort over the bar. At least he is getting into the game now.

Ronaldo drops deep to receive the ball from Moutinho. Petit hits a long-range shot which Cech saves easily.

Grygera takes a throw deep in Portugal territory. The Czechs appeal for a corner but the ref awards a goalkick.

Jankolovski drives forward down the left and hits a cross-field ball for Baros, who decides the pass is poor and lets it run out of play. He might have got to it if he had really tried.

Boswinga pushes forward from right-back but Plasil covers well for the Czech's and prevents another Portugal raid on his goal.

Czech's have corner and have a chance to hit back straight away. Nothing doing.

...The ball squirms to Deco and Cech recovers to make another block; but Deco finally smashes the ball past two defenders on the line to give Portugal the lead. GOAL!!!!

Ronaldo has the ball again. He beats Ufalusi but Cech saves with his feet...

ronaldo runs at the Czech defence and then flops to the ground looking for a freekick. He will have to do better than that to fool the ref.

Scrappier than you might expect for the first few minutes.

ronaldo has not got inot the match yet... but as I say that he smashes a speculative shot at goal from midfeild. Both teams just getting the feel of the game early on.

Sionko cuts in from the right but his shot hits a Portugal defender and bounces clear.

Portugal are wearing all white and the Czechs, who are all in red, are on the attack down the left flank.

Portugal get us underway and are kicking from left to right.

The anthems are over and the teams are on the pitch so let's get things rolling...

Both teams have 100% records so far and these are the two teams expected to get out of Group A. This game will probably decide who will finish top of the group.

Portugal make no changes to the side that beat Turkey 2-0 in their opening match.

The team news for the Czechs is that giant striker Jan Koller has been dropped to the bench and pacy Milan Baros will start the match.

The game has stopped while Petit gets some treatment.

Grygera cross deep to the far post, Plasil nods the ball back across the face of goal and when a shot finally comes in it is blocked. That was a good chance for the Czechs.

The Czech's make a change and it is not Koller coming on. Matejovsky goes off and is replaced by Vicek.

Portugal can't seem to cope with the Czech's set pieces and that looks like being their best route back into this match.

Jankulovski lofts in a cross from a freekick. Ricardo comes off his line and once again flaps at the ball. Grygera's shot at the back post is blocked.

The Czechs must fight back once again.

Ronaldo's shot went past three defenders and that probably unsighted Cech in the goal - still a great goal though.

Deco threads the ball through to Ronaldo, who shoots first time form the edge of the box and hits the back of the net. GOAL!!!

...Plasil delivers. Jankulovski flicks the ball on at the near post and Sionko and Baros are both inches away from scoring at the back post.

Carvalho concedes a corner. Let's see if the Czech's can make something of this...

Portugal are well on top at the moment and their is no doubt that Cech has been the much busier of the two goalkeepers.

Somai gets in behind Jankulovski and sqaures the ball across the goal. Cech claims the ball.

Deco draws three players towards him and then slips the ball to Simao, who drives into the box and shoots. Cech is up the challenge and makes yet another save - if somewhat routine.

The Czechs are preapring for Koller to come on - Baros has ran himself ragged.

Once again it is a poor corner.

Gomes gets past Rozenhaal but the defender recovers to block the striker's shot at the expense of a corner.

Simao smuggles a pass to Gomes, who spins Ufalusi and scoops a shot at Cech. The Portugal forward just couldn't get the power into his effort that was required.

Baros is buzzing around the Portugal defenders, chasing every pass down, but the service to him has not been great.

Portugal's corner comes to nothing: they have posed little threat from them so far.

Ferreira whips in a good cross from the left. Rozenhaal gets his head to the ball but at the expense of a corner.

Plasil controls a high ball expertly. Sionko drives inot the box from the right and flashes a cross across the face of goal... it just needed a touch from either Baros or Plasil.

Scolari's side have started brightly again. Pepe pushes out of defence and wins a corner for his side.

Portugal get the second-half underway. No changes for either team.

After going a goal down the Czechs will probably be happier at the break, having fought their way back into the game and then gone on to edge the half - despite Portugal getting back into it towards the end.

...Ronaldo hits it! But Cech scoops up the shot with ease. The whistle blows for half-time.

Portugal keep possession until Ferreira comes back onto the pitch. Deco wins a freekick in the interim and Portugal have a chance to shoot at goal just before the break...

Sionko gets treatment for a facial wound, as does Ferreira. The game restarts with a drop-ball.

Ufalusi catches Ronaldo in the face with a raised arm but the game goes on until two more players collapse in a heap.

Baros gets the ball and throws his hands up in fruastration as he has no support from his team-mates.

Ronaldo nicks the ball off Sionko and fires off right foot shot. Cech scrambles across his goal to make a good save.

...Deco takes it short, Simao crosses and Ufalusi concedes another corner.

Both Portugal fullbacks are pushing forward; this time it is Ferreira and he wins a corner...

Boswinga drives forward again but his attacking effort is absolute toilet.

Rozenhaal slips the ball through the midfield to Baros, who shruggs off Carvalho but is hauled to the ground by the defender. The resulting freekick comes to nought.

Baros breaks for the Czechs he beats Ferreira but then runs back inot him and then his cross into the box was dire. Baros should have done much better then.

Ferriera plays a one-two with Ronaldo and smashes his cross straight into the face off Grygera, who goes down injured.

Galasek checks the run of Ronaldo - who has been kept fairly quiet for the last 15 minutes.

Galasek gives Gomes (yes he is on the pitch) a shove in the back and Portugal win a freekick.

Boswinga pushes forward from right-back but needlessly fouls Galasek on the edge of the Czechs' penalty area and gets booked.

The Czech's have another corner. Plasil's deliver beats a flapping Ricardo but Sionko connect with the cross at the back post.

Matejovsky clatters into the back of Petit, who claims he was stmaped on by the Czech player. Didn't look like it to me.

Sionko controls a long pass and brings Plasil into the attack. The Czechs swarm forward but Pepe wins the ball back for Portugal.

Ronaldo drives through midfield and draws four players towards him. The forward shoots from 30-yards and forces a good, low save from Cech.

Deco cuts in from the left, space opens up and he hits a shot from the edge of the box that drifts high and wide. It must be a Portugal tactic to shoot from long-range.

Polak gets past Ferreira but overruns the ball and fouls Pepe as he tries to keep possession. It was a bad foul and Polak is the first to go into the ref's book.

The Czechs probe down the left flank. Plasil crosses but can't find a colleague in the box.

Petit smahses in yet another speculative shot form long-range. He doesn't even hit the target this time.

Portugal seem unfazed by the equaliser and are happy to ping the ball around in the midfield.

The Czechs are right back in this game now and it is nothing less than they deserve after a slow start.

Plasil whips in a good delivery from the corner. Sionko powers through the Portugal defence to arrow a header past Ricardo. GOAL!!!

Sionko beats Pepe. He cuts it back in the box as Portugal panic and concede a corner.

Grygera crosses from the right. Baros leaps and manages to get his head to the ball but guides his effort over the bar. At least he is getting into the game now.

Ronaldo drops deep to receive the ball from Moutinho. Petit hits a long-range shot which Cech saves easily.

Grygera takes a throw deep in Portugal territory. The Czechs appeal for a corner but the ref awards a goalkick.

Jankolovski drives forward down the left and hits a cross-field ball for Baros, who decides the pass is poor and lets it run out of play. He might have got to it if he had really tried.

Boswinga pushes forward from right-back but Plasil covers well for the Czech's and prevents another Portugal raid on his goal.

Czech's have corner and have a chance to hit back straight away. Nothing doing.

...The ball squirms to Deco and Cech recovers to make another block; but Deco finally smashes the ball past two defenders on the line to give Portugal the lead. GOAL!!!!

Ronaldo has the ball again. He beats Ufalusi but Cech saves with his feet...

ronaldo runs at the Czech defence and then flops to the ground looking for a freekick. He will have to do better than that to fool the ref.

Scrappier than you might expect for the first few minutes.

ronaldo has not got inot the match yet... but as I say that he smashes a speculative shot at goal from midfeild. Both teams just getting the feel of the game early on.

Sionko cuts in from the right but his shot hits a Portugal defender and bounces clear.

Portugal are wearing all white and the Czechs, who are all in red, are on the attack down the left flank.

Portugal get us underway and are kicking from left to right.

The anthems are over and the teams are on the pitch so let's get things rolling...

Both teams have 100% records so far and these are the two teams expected to get out of Group A. This game will probably decide who will finish top of the group.

Portugal make no changes to the side that beat Turkey 2-0 in their opening match.

The team news for the Czechs is that giant striker Jan Koller has been dropped to the bench and pacy Milan Baros will start the match.