Scolari ponders striking options
Friday, March 26, 2004
Article summary
Nuno Gomes and Hélder Postiga have been named in Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad to face Italy.
Article body
UEFA Cup goals
Due to injury the 27-year-old forward has been missing from the international fold since the friendly against Kuwait in November. However two goals in last night's UEFA Cup match against FC Internazionale have helped seal his return - and lessen the pain of SL Benfica's 4-3 aggregate defeat.
Postiga return
Tottenham Hotspur FC forward Hélder Postiga is also recalled after an absence of five months while Hugo Almeida and Hugo Viana have been dropped from the squad that faced England. Experienced internationals Maniche, Sérgio Conceição and Fernando Meira also miss out and now look unlikely to figure this summer.
Almost finalised
Scolari said: "I almost have my squad finalised for the finals. I wanted to call three strikers up and see Pauleta, Nuno Gomes and Postiga playing - I hope this will help me decide if I will call two or three of them for the final squad. We are playing almost as I want us to. Those 21 days we have before EURO 2004™ will be fundamental to completing our preparations."
Portugal squad
Ricardo, Quim, Miguel, Paulo Ferreira, Beto, Fernando Couto, Jorge Andrade, Ricardo Carvalho, Rui Jorge, Nuno Valente, Costinha, Tiago, Deco, Petit, Figo, Rui Costa, Pauleta, Simão, Boa Morte, Hélder Postiga, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nuno Gomes.
