Portugal vs Germany

Advantages: A couple oif very good goals, good attacking intent
Disadvantages: Slack defending at times

...ball. However, just as Portugal started to find their feet, they were stunned by a delicious flowing move by Germany. Lukas Podolski played a quick and clinical one-two with Michael Ballack on the halfway line and charged down the left before squaring for Bastian Schweinsteiger, who stormed past the defenders to hammer the ball into the back of the net. Within five minutes of taking the lead, Germany threatened to pull away as Miroslav Klose towered ...
...two German goals, really stunned Portugal who looked like they were getting into the groove, and they started to seem a bit desperate and a bit flustered with only Ronaldo threatening. Indeed, it was that man, once again, Christiano Ronaldo who brought Portugal back into the game. He brilliantly collected a pass from Simao, raced into the box and although his low shot was blocked by Lehmann, it fell into the path of Nuno Gomes who coolly slotted ... Read review

Advantages: Five goals, first goal was great, Portugal stayed in touch
Disadvantages: Portugal poor for set-pieces

Whilst Portugal saw much of the ball, they missed some good chances and the defensive lapses proved costly. The latter problems seemed evident in their win against the Czech Republic, though unfortunately were not addressed. Also, Scolari chose to rest many of his first-team players in the game against Switzerland - that may or may not have taken momentum out of the side, but the defeat to the Swiss did not help. It was a great team goal to start ...
...for the first goal, but Portugal would soon be exposed again, this time from a set-piece - Klose given space to put away a free-header from a free-kick, with goal-scorer Schweinsteiger turned goal-provider. I felt Nuno Gomes had done enough in the matches he had played to justify his leading the line, and he got a goal back for Portugal after an effort from Ronaldo. But Portugal would be undone again, with Ballack heading in a Schweinsteiger free-kick, ... Read review