Just Onegola

Angola vs Portugal
Köln

Angola's Fabrice Akwa said before the game that he wouldn't sign a contract for a draw against former colonial rulers, Portugal if it was on the table and insists that Angola will be looking to cause what would be considered a major upset, of Senegal vs France proportions, and aim for all three points.

Portugal, determined not to let that happen, attacked from the kick-off, with Pauleta almost scoring on 14 seconds; the ball just going wide of the far post.

In the 4th minute he did get on the scoresheet though, latching onto a cut-back from Luis Figo; who had made the run down the left.

Ze Kalanga and Fabrice Akwa tried to get Angola back into the game, before Portugal opened the floodgates.

On the 25th minute, the Angolan captain tried a spectacular overhead kick from Manuel Loco's right wing cross.

With Portugal not getting the second goal, as expected, Angola started to feel a little more confident.

Cristiano Ronaldo's header onto the bar, from Luis Figo's corner just after the half-hour, reminded the Africans that the threat was still there.

Andre Macanga forced Joao Ricardo to push his fierce drive away for a corner, three minutes from half-time. And soon after, Ronaldo was again frustrated as Alexandre Ricardo saved another first-time shot; after Portugal worked the ball elegantly down the right wing.

Angola could go into the break feeling respectable.

Half-time: (0-1).

After an hour without another goal, some sections of the crowd starting whistling their disapproval.

Maniche tried to fire Teamgeist home in the last minute but it was a futile attempt to double the score, which on their second-half performance they wouldn't have really deserved.

Like England, an early goal was enough for Portugal to get the three points on the board but it's going to need a lot more to convince neutrals that Portugal are World Champion material.

Final Score:
Angola 0 - Portugal 1

Teams
Angola: (Captain Fabrice Akwa/Paulo Figueiredo)
1 Joao Ricardo; 3 Joao Jamba, 5 Carlos Kali, 20 Manuel Loco, 21 Luis Delgado; 7 Paulo Figueiredo, 8 Andre Macanga, 14 Antonio Mendonca, 17 Jose Ze Kalanga; 10 Fabrice Akwa, 11 Andre Mateus.

Portugal: (Captain Luis Figo)
1 Alexandre Ricardo; 5 Fernando Meira, 13 Luis Miguel, 14 Nuno Valente, 16 Ricardo Carvalho; 7 Luis Figo, 8 Armando Petit, 11 Sabrosa Simao, 17 Cristiano Ronaldo, 19 Cardoso Tiago; 9 Pedro Pauleta.

Referee:
Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)

Our Man of The Match:
Luis Figo.