PORTUGAL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Euro 2012-bound Portugal battle to a goal-less draw at home to Macedonia in an international friendly and faced a barrage of boos from their own fans for the nature of their performance

Record ID: 861795

  • Title: PORTUGAL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Euro 2012-bound Portugal battle to a goal-less draw at home to Macedonia in an international friendly and faced a barrage of boos from their own fans for the nature of their performance
  • Date: 27th May 2012
  • Summary: LEIRIA, PORTUGAL (MAY 26, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF STADIUM IN LEIRIA
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Portugal
  • City:
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA80KIMKAG0IJXR2Q1QIAVB624N
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  • Story Text: Portugal faced a barrage of whistles from their fans after a disappointing goal-less home draw against Macedonia on Saturday (May 26) left question marks over the team's form ahead of the upcoming European Championship.
    Their unimpressive display was livened only by a couple of threatening free kicks from captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Coach Paulo Bento said he understood the fans' reaction.
    "Our performance in this game was not good, the result was also not good," Bento told reporters.
    "But it was no more than that. No one got injured in the match.
    "Naturally the players are still adapting themselves after a one week break followed by one week for trainning.
    "Naturally it is our obligation to rectify what we did not to well in this match in the next one," he added.
    Portugal, finalists at Euro 2004, will need to be stronger to progress from arguably the toughest group at Euro 2012, where they face Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.
    Germany were upset by Switzerland in a friendly earlier on Saturday but Bento was reading little into that result.
    "We will not be fooled by the result of Germany against Switzerland today," he said.
    "And we will not depress about having drawn against Macedonia."
    Macedonia, number 98 in the world ranking and coached by former Liverpool striker John Toshack, were well organised but reliant largely on counter-attacks.
    Toshack said he expected a greatly improved Portugal team to show at Euro 2012.
    "Portugal has great football players and little by little when the big-tension matches come they will be good despite being in ... a very, very difficult group." he said.
    Bento's side play Turkey in a friendly next Saturday, their final test before leaving for Poland.
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