Chapter 350: "Strong" Iran
A big win has made Portugal the focus of the whole world, perhaps except for the final of the European Championship two years ago, the rest of the time, Portugal does not have such a strong presence.
After the expansion of the World Cup, it is not uncommon for games with huge disparities in strength to be uncommon.
But it was Portugal's dominance that really made those who wanted to win the title really care.
Although the opponent Angola is a new team in the World Cup, it can be regarded as a strong African team from Africa, and it also has the general characteristics of African teams, which is not necessarily easy to deal with.
But in front of Portugal, Angola had almost no power to fight back, and could not even resist.
Needless to say, the shock caused by such a situation to everyone!
The next day, the whole world seemed to be talking about Portugal's big victory, and the media momentum made Portugal suddenly the favorite to win the championship, at least the strength of the top four, and the praise was endless for a while.
This is still the game that Portugal played without the core of the midfield, Deco, if Deco is there, wouldn't Portugal be stronger?
Portugal has skyrocketed in the odds to win the championship, and after one game, it has already shown a strong side with Italy, who are in third place.
And what is even more amazing in the Portuguese team is Quaresma's perfect debut.
The World Cup debut directly scored a hat-trick, I dare not say that it is unprecedented, but I also feel amazing.
Quaresma has carried over his strong form from mid-season to the World Cup, and this game is the best proof of that!
It's normal for Angola to not be able to defend against Quaresma, and even the Cosmos team Barcelona can't stop Quaresma, let alone tiny Angola.
What's even more incredible is that Quaresma scored a hat-trick in 20 minutes, and the rest of the time, he even clocked out and started playing soy sauce!
Maybe it wasn't too much excitement, or maybe it was a deliberate effort to build up energy, but Quaresma was lazy after scoring a hat-trick and lost the momentum he had at the start of the race.
If Quaresma was on fire throughout the game, would it be difficult to score five goals?
I'm afraid no one will find it difficult, that elusive inward shot is not something that Angola can stop!
It seems that Quaresma's plan is not small!
However, even though Quaresma stroked badly, he still topped the scorer charts.
In the games that have ended, Germany's Klose scored twice, Mexican midfielder Bravo also scored two goals, and Australia's Cahill also scored two goals, and the performance was amazing!
However, they can still only line behind Quaresma, and everyone seems to be a little desperate and a little discouraged by the ease with which Quaresma scored!
Watching Quaresma score a goal is really easy!
But why is it so hard when it's your turn?
Perhaps at this point, Pauletta has the deepest experience!
Quaresma's hat-trick was the 48th in World Cup history, and the previous one was scored by Pauletta in the last World Cup, when he scored an incredible miracle with an overhead kick against Poland in Portugal.
It's just that, in front of the radiant Quaresma, Pauletta seems to have become unable to score goals all of a sudden, and can only play the role of a tactical center forward.
Under the pressure of the Portuguese wingers, Pauleta's goal path was simply difficult.
Because of this hat-trick, Quaresma also moved two places forward on the Golden Boot odds list, surpassing Henry and Adriano in one fell swoop, only behind Ronaldo, perhaps, before the real determination of the fall of aliens, everyone will have the biggest illusions about aliens, which Quaresma can't change!
......
The next day's game is destined to steal the limelight from Portugal's big win, so the attention that Portugal has received has plummeted, and only Portuguese fans are still watching their every move, but for ordinary fans, it is the game that makes them look forward to it.
At this time, the Portuguese national team has already felt Eintracht Frankfurt from Cologne, and the second round of the group stage will be played in this city.
Because of the big win, the atmosphere in the Portuguese team is very relaxed, and when interviewed by reporters, the players always have smiles on their faces, and if they lose, then they may not be so happy to be interviewed.
"I repeat, there really is no contradiction between me and Pauletta!" Quaresma took the trouble to explain that this was the first time in a day that I don't know how many reporters had asked the question.
Do you have to say that there is a feud between me and Pauletta, and Pauletta deliberately smothered his face?
Originally, Pauletta didn't mean to, and after the game, he apologized to himself, and agreed to compensate himself with a big meal, how could Quaresma be angry?
However, these reporters are afraid that the world will not be chaotic, as if they have to artificially create news of infighting in Portugal, and they have been asking questions about this issue endlessly, which has made Quaresma tireless.
In the end, it was the Portuguese national team staff who stopped these reporters, otherwise Quaresma would not have thought about being able to participate in training.
But when it comes to the training ground, there are not so many worries, and Quaresma and his teammates are happily preparing for the next match against Iran.
The schedule is very good for Portugal!
The opponents in the first two rounds are fish belly, as long as they win two consecutive wins, then Portugal can lock in a group qualifier, and then decide whether to fight Mexico hard when the time comes!
And taking Iran does not seem to be much suspense.
Perhaps Iran can make a noise in Asia, but on the stage of the World Cup, it can only play the backdrop.
Not to mention Quaresma, the whole Portuguese team didn't take Iran too seriously, they focused more on Mexico, and only Mexico can cause them some problems in the group stage!
For Quaresma, he feels that his only goal in this game is to score a few more goals, and it is best to lock up the World Cup Golden Boot directly in two games!
It's really boring for this opponent!
After the nuclear crisis, Iranian football seemed to be linked to politics, and during the Iran-Iraq war, Iran became the enemy of almost all Arab countries, and after adjusting its strategy to deny the Holocaust, the whole world was shocked.
Now outside the hotel where the Iranian team is staying, a large number of protesters gather every day, pulling banners and shouting slogans, so that the Iranian team does not even enjoy a quiet environment.
Especially after the Iranian vice president came to watch the game, even the host German team had no way to eliminate the political factor to a minimum, and could only hope that the Iranian team would go home as soon as possible......
In the face of such an opponent, Portugal is even about to lie down and win!
A lot of people say that football shouldn't be about politics, but in fact, you don't necessarily mean what you say.
In any case, Iran is destined to be unable to stop Quaresma's advance, nor can it stop Portugal.
Send Iran away with your own hands!
Quaresma felt that there was only so much he could do!
Quaresma also participated in the pre-match press conference, and after the first round was over, Quaresma was still at the top of the scorer list, and this game could become a performance of Quaresma's goals, and the reporters' desire to put a little news from Quaresma's mouth could not be concealed at all.
It's just that before it was Quaresma's turn to speak, Iranian coach Ivankovic's speech caused great controversy.
"Between Mexico and Portugal, the two favourites, I think Mexico is a bit stronger!"
"Just because we lost the game against Mexico doesn't mean we lost our chance to qualify."
"Our team's style is somewhat restrained by the Mexican style, with their quicker movement at their feet and their fast and fluid coordination making it difficult for us to defend."
"But the Portuguese style doesn't hold us back, so we have every chance to compete with Portugal!"
"Of course, we have to defend well in the game, and how to limit Quaresma's play can be the key to our victory!"
"I'm sure we're going to win, we've got the quality!"
......
Ivankovic's statement made the reporters look at each other, and they did not react for a long time.
Who gave you the courage to say that you can win against Portugal?
The Angolan corpse is not cold yet, and you are starting to scream?
No matter which way you look at it, Iran doesn't even have much chance of causing trouble for Portugal, are the Iranians so arrogant now?
Don't talk about others, Quaresma alone is worth more than the entire Iranian team, what do you use to fight Portugal?
What style of restraint or not restraint?
In the face of absolute strength, everything is a floating cloud!
Besides, how is it possible that Iran's style of play is not restrained by Portugal?
Iran's current style of play is still physical, and it is indeed competitive in Asia, but in front of Portugal, a technical team, it is completely unable to take it!
Mexico is dominated by pass-and-control play, but the overall strength is not as good as Portugal, Iran was beaten by Mexico without temper, and can it hold its head up in front of Portugal?
Stop it!
Hurry up and pack your bags and get ready to go home!
Do you have to come out and find a sense of existence?
Aren't you afraid of Portugal and beating you into a sieve again?
Think of Angola, that's the rut in the road!
Originally, at 3:0, Portugal was too lazy to attack again, but the result was that Angola was unable to do enough and still provoked, and as a result, Portugal poured two more.
If it weren't for the fact that Angola had surrendered quickly when the situation was not good, maybe Portugal would have to enter a few more!
What Iran is doing now is like digging its own grave with a shovel and waiting for Portugal to bury them alive......
Scolari's brows furrowed slightly, and with Quaresma's understanding of Scolari, it was estimated that the old man was angry.
If you just express your confidence in the game before the game, then you can't admit defeat before the game starts!
But you can't use Mexico to compare and belittle Portugal, praise one and step on the other, this approach is a bit excessive!
If you lose to Mexico, you say that Mexico is stronger than Portugal, which means that you are about the same strength as Portugal?
Still shameless?
If Mexico says that it is about the same strength as Portugal, then no problem, after all, Mexico is ranked higher in the world than Portugal.
But when Iran says this, it's almost going to make people laugh out of their big teeth!
Quaresma felt that the old man would have to go back, or he wouldn't be Scolari.
Sure enough, Scolari picked up the microphone and began his speech with the excited expressions of all the reporters.
"Our tactical style of play really did not restrain the Iranian team, and Iran is indeed a strong team, they have a physical advantage, which is their unique condition!"
"I watched the video of the match between Iran and Mexico, and I think Mexico won the game by luck, and Iran had every chance to win!"
"Our goal in this game is not to lose, as long as we don't lose to Iran, we have every chance to get out of the group and then advance with Iran!"
"Although this goal is difficult for us, we will not back down!"
"After qualifying, the two teams in the same group will only meet in the final, which means that we don't have to worry about facing the mighty Iran before the final, which is really exciting news!"
"Now that I think about it, it was really sad and tearful to be in the same group as the Iranian team!"
"Well, let's hope this game doesn't get slaughtered!"
.......
Scolari's tone was serious, as if he was really afraid of the Iranian team, and from his tone, it was completely clear that Iran was about to become a championship team.
The reporters stared wide-eyed, and then there was a burst of laughter, Scolari's irony is really fresh and refined!
In Scolari's mouth, Iran's strength is simply terrifying, and Portugal is about to tremble!
Didn't you say that Iran is strong, then I will follow your meaning!
I don't know who will be embarrassed by then!
Quaresma couldn't help but laugh, Scolari was really ironic, sure enough, Jiang was still old and spicy, if it was replaced by himself, it was estimated that he would have done it with a real knife, but he couldn't say such an ironic thing.
Ivankovic's face was darkened next to him, how could he not hear that Scolari was sarcastic about them!
No matter how big his face is, he doesn't dare to say that Iran has such a strong strength!
Looking at Scolari who was talking eloquently, Ivankovic couldn't wait to snatch his microphone, otherwise Scolari would have beeped!
He also regretted a little, why did he have nothing to say before, who would have thought that Scolari would be so eager to repay him, and directly scare him until he couldn't speak!
When it was Quaresma's turn to speak, he couldn't help but smile at first, and went straight to Scolari's words.
"There was a lot of luck in scoring a hat-trick in the first game, of course I hope to get the World Cup Golden Boot, but in this game against Iran, I'm afraid I may not be able to get a chance to shoot in front of a strong Iranian team, so I don't dare to expect a goal at all!"
"In the face of a strong Iran, I'm afraid Portugal will fall into complete passivity, and then my role on the field will be almost zero, and I'm afraid that in such a situation, Mr. Scolari may not let me in the starting lineup."
"So, if you want to compete for the Golden Boot, you can only rely on the next games!"
......
In the uproar, Iranian coach Ivankovic's face turned green!