Portugal prise slender advantage
Saturday 14 November 2009
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Bruno Alves's goal gave Portugal a slender advantage after the first leg of their 2010 FIFA World Cup play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina, who were denied by the woodwork on three occasions.
Three losses
Neither country had caught the eye during qualifying for next year's finals in South Africa, with the visitors falling to defeat three times en route to second place in Group 5. They did, however, suffer great misfortune with the frame of Eduardo's goal in Lisbon, but were ultimately left in arrears ahead of Wednesday's return in Zenica following a Bruno Alves header on 31 minutes.
Nani assist
Without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Queiroz's side had struggled to get a grip on the game, with Liedson's eighth-minute header their most presentable opening of the early stages. However, Ronaldo's heir apparent at Manchester United FC, Nani, then picked out Bruno Alves, who headed his country into the ascendancy. Bosnia were quick to react, Sejad Salihović putting Eduardo to the test seven minutes before the break before Senijad Ibričić headed against a post having been picked out from a corner.
Liedson chance
The visitors failed to build on that momentum after the break, with Portugal keeping their opponents at bay while also looking to take a more decisive advantage into Wednesday's second leg. Liedson missed a golden opportunity to do just that on 57 minutes when he shot narrowly wide of the target. Deco's deflected effort also went begging before Bosnia-Herzegovina mounted a late and unexpected surge. Semi-finalists in 2006, Portugal invited the pressure on and were so nearly made to pay in the final minute of normal time. The crossbar was first to their rescue from Edin Džeko's header, only for the rebound to fall Zlatan Muslimović's way. An upright this time granted Portugal a reprieve and left them in charge ahead of their journey east.
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