Portuguese moving up a level

By Paul Saffer

While Portugal have won seven European titles in all at Under-16, U17 and U18 level, plus two world U20 honours, they are yet to secure a UEFA European Under-21 Championship success to complete their set.

Play-off secure
However, as qualification for the 2006 finals nears its climax that could all be changing soon. Portugal have won all their seven Group 3 games, and not only are they on course to become the first team to complete their pool without dropping a point for since 1998, but they are also the only nation so far to clinch one of the 16 play-off berths.

Coach delighted
A 5-0 success in Estonia on Tuesday night ensured a two-legged encounter in November, with the prize of entry into the eight-team finals next summer. No one will want to draw a team averaging three goals per game in their pool, and coach Agostinho Oliveira is unsurprisingly delighted with his team’s form.

'Winning streak'
Speaking after the victory in Estonia, he said: "Seven wins in seven matches? We will try to carry on with this winning streak, but I still want to point out that this was a tough match, especially in the first half, against a team which played with lots of players behind the ball. We had to have lots of patience to penetrate in their defensive system, sometimes taking some risks, but we eventually prevailed."

Striving for perfection
Oliveira is striving for perfection. "At half-time [with the score 1-0], I stressed to the players that some of them were making some minor mistakes, which were not acceptable for players of their level, and that they were lacking some team play, especially in their defensive missions, filling gaps. I urged them to show more attitude and then we created many more chances. It was that which allowed us to build this lead, which carried on growing as the Estonian players became more tired."

Sole final
Portugal's best run in this competition came in France in 1994, when they reached the final only to lose to an Italian golden goal. Quarter-finalists two years later, they failed to qualify in 1998 and 2000, but have again been building at this level and in 2004 finished third in Germany.

Coveyor belt
More importantly, the U21 Championship has proved a vital component in their conveyor belt of talent. The 2000 team, who missed out in the play-offs as a 2-0 home win against Croatia was turned into a 3-2 aggregate defeat, contained Ricardo Carvalho and Maniche, so crucial to their UEFA EURO 2004™ run. Two years later, EURO 2004™ full-back Miguel and Hélder Postiga, scorer of the vital equaliser last summer against England, played in Switzerland, while last summer's bronze medal and Olympic qualification was earned by, among others, Jorge Ribeiro.

Team to avoid
Now Filipe Oliveira and Hugo Almeida are among the players impressing, and should Portugal defeat Luxembourg and hold Russia in September, they will have secured first place in the group and ensured they will meet pool runners-up in the play-offs. Looking ahead, Agostinho Oliveira said: "Against Luxembourg, maybe we can play with a less strong team, but the match against Russia will be seen as a preparation for the play-off." They look the nation to avoid at that stage.