Portugal beats Iceland 5-3 to almost guarantee Euro-2012 berth
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Xinhua, October 8, 2011
Portugal defeated Iceland 5-3 in Lisbon on Friday night to almost qualify for the UEFA Euro 2012.
Portugal, who is in the first place of Group H, will advance unless they lose to Denmark with more than four-goal deficit next Wednesday.
The Iceland game was expected to be easy as the visitors are 106th in the FIFA ranking while Portugal is in the fifth place.
However, the hosts had to face a tense and difficult situation. Iceland started the game more aggressively and got four corners in the first eight minutes.
Against the flow of the game, Portugal scored. In the 12th minute, Eliseu crossed and Nani scored with a header. In the 20th minute, Nani intercepted a missed pass from Solvi Jonsson to the goalkeeper and scored again.
The first half ended with the Portuguese third goal in the 43rd minute when Helder Postiga received a pass in the box and sent the ball in.
It seemed that there was no possibility for a turn around. But in the 47th minute, after a free kick, Jonson received inside the box and crossed with a header to Jonasson who scored for Iceland. In the 67th minute, on a corner, the Portuguese defense did not manage to take the ball out of the box and Jonasson scored again.
Only after suffering the second goal the Portuguese team put more speed in its game. In the 80th minute, in a fast move of the Portuguese left wing, midfielder Joao Moutinho scored the Portuguese fourth goal. In the 86th minute, on a shot from out of the box, Eliseu scored the Portuguese fifth goal.
But the Iceland team manage to score again. In the injury time, Rolando tackled Bjarnasson in the box. On the penalty kick, Sigurdsson scored in the last play of the match.
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