No problem for Portuguese
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Article summary
Poland 2-7 Portugal
The visitors ease to a comfortable first-leg victory and will be favourites to progress.
Article body
Portugal eased to a comfortable first-leg victory in their 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship play-off against Poland in Chorzow.
Never in trouble
Inspired by André, the visitors put themselves firmly in the driving seat for one of five European places on offer at next year's finals in Chinese Taipei. The Poles did find the net twice but the visitors will be the firm favourites for the return leg on 17 December.
Plenty of goals
The visitors took the lead through André's strike after just two minutes and did not look back. Three more goals came before the break through Ivan, Majó and Arnaldo. Poland pulled two back in the first eight minutes of the second half through Krzysztof Filipczak and Miroslaw Miozga, either side of a second André goal, but only one team were in the contest.
Firm favourites
Despite excellent form from home goalkeeper Pawel Sobolewski, the Portuguese added further goals from Joel Queirós and Majó again. The second leg will be played in Lisbon, and with a strong home crowd Portugal will have every confidence of making it through.
