Mexico lose 1-2 to Portugal but still qualify in Group D
{{date|June 21, 2006}} 
[[File:World Cup 2006 logo.png|left|50px]] Portugal struck two early and held on to beat Mexico in their final Group D match in Gelsenkirchen, Wednesday.

The three goals came in the first period of a match in which Mexico had a player sent off and missed a penalty in the second.

[[File:Arena auf schalke gelsenkirchen germany.JPG|right|thumb|250px| Veltins Arena]]

Portugal had rested Deco, Ronaldo and Pauletta but with Figo, Simão and Maniche still packed an offensive threat.

Five minutes into the game Simão ran down the left side of the penalty area and passed a ball square. It deceived the Mexican defence and Maniche, who ran on to it, placed the ball high beyond Oswaldo Sanchez.

The second goal came after 23 minutes when Rafael Marquez reached with his hand to meet a cross from a corner. The resultant penalty saw a theatrical display by Sanchez on the goal line but Simão scored hard to his right.

If Mexico's Omar Bravo had a better game the result might have been a Mexican victory. In the first half he volleyed wide and via a Ricardo leg-save hit the crossbar; on 63 minutes through on goal he blazed over.

Bravo's best chance came on a 56 minute penalty kick after a move of neat passes ended with Miguel's arm connecting with Luis Perez's ball control in the area. Bravo stepped up and hit well over.

Statistics say ball possession was equal and shots on goal were just shaded by Mexico despite the fact Ricardo La Volpe's side had to play the last half hour with 10 men.

Perez received his second yellow card four minutes after Bravo had missed his penalty - sent off for foul simulation in the Portuguese penalty area, in an apparent attempt to get another. 

The biggest threat to Portugal's goal was posed by Jose Fonseca. He got four of six shots on target and scored the only Mexican goal, a glancing header from Bravo's corner kick.

Defeat to Portugal did not alter the top two positions in Group D. Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal would next play the team placed second in Group C in the round of sixteen, while Mexico had to play the winner of that group. 

== Statistics ==
'''Group D'''
{{User:Flipbaywood/Football box|bg = #eeeeee |date = June 21, 2006<br />16:00 |team1 = {{User:Flipbaywood/Flagicon|country = Mexico}} Mexico|score = 1&ndash;2 |team2 = {{User:Flipbaywood/Flagicon|country = Portugal}} Portugal|goals1= Fonseca 29' |goals2= Maniche 6' </br> Simão 24' (pen) |stadium = Veltins Arena}}

Attendance: 52'000

Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)[[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]] [[File:Red card.svg|10px]]

=== Mexico ===
[[File:Flag of Mexico.svg|100px|right]]

* 01 O Sanchez
* 14 G Pineda (Substitute: 69' J Castro)
* 04 R Marquez 65' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
* 05 R Osorio
* 03 C Salcido
* 22 F Rodriguez 22' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]] (Substitute: 45' A Zinha 87' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]])
* 08 P Pardo
* 23 L Perez 27' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]] 61' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]][[File:Red card.svg|10px]]
* 16 M Mendez (Substitute: 80' G Franco)
* 17 F Fonseca
* 19 O Bravo

=== Portugal ===
[[File:Flag of Portugal.svg|100px|right]]

* 01 A Ricardo
* 13 L Miguel 26' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]] (Substitute: 61' R Paulo Ferreira)
* 16 A Ricardo Carvalho
* 05 F Meira
* 03 M Caneira
* 08 A Petit
* 18 N Maniche 69' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
* 19 C Tiago
* 07 L Figo (Substitute: 80' L Boa Morte 88' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]])
* 11 S Simao
* 23 H Postiga (Substitute: 69' M Nuno Gomes 91'+ [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]])

==Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|- style="background: #eeeeee;"
!width="175"                        |Team
!width="20"  abbr="Points"          |Pts
!width="20"  abbr="Played"          |Pld
!width="20"  abbr="Won"             |W
!width="20"  abbr="Drawn"           |D
!width="20"  abbr="Lost"            |L
!width="20"  abbr="Goals for"       |GF
!width="20"  abbr="Goals against"   |GA
!width="20"  abbr="Goal difference" |GD
|- style="background: #ccffcc;"
!style="text-align:left; background: #ccffcc;"|Portugal
|'''9'''||3||3||0||0||5||1||+4
|- style="background: #ccffcc;"
!style="text-align:left; background: #ccffcc;"|Mexico
|'''4'''||3||1||1||1||4||3||+1
|- style="background: #ffcccc;"
!style="text-align:left; background-color:#ffcccc;"|Angola
|'''2'''||3||0||2||1||1||2||&minus;1
|-style="background: #ffcccc;"
!style="text-align:left; background: #ffcccc;"|Iran
|'''1'''||3||0||1||2||2||6||&minus;4
|}

''Fifa World Cup Group D table June 21, 2006''

{{haveyoursay}}
== Related news ==
*{{wikinews|title=Angola draw 1-1 with Iran in Group D|date=June 21, 2006}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4853302.stm
 |title=Mexico 1-2 Portugal
 |author=
 |pub=BBC News Online
 |date=June 21, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/match/39/mr.html
 |title=Fifa match report 
 |author=
 |pub=FIFA
 |date=June 21, 2006}}

{{WorldCup2006}}

{{publish}}
{{archive-unreviewed}}

[[Category:Mexico]]
[[Category:Portugal]]
[[Category:Football (soccer)]]
[[Category:FIFA World Cup 2006]]
50px Portugal struck two early and held on to beat Mexico in their final Group D match in Gelsenkirchen, Wednesday.

The three goals came in the first period of a match in which Mexico had a player sent off and missed a penalty in the second.

 Veltins Arena

Portugal had rested Deco, Ronaldo and Pauletta but with Figo, Simão and Maniche still packed an offensive threat.

Five minutes into the game Simão ran down the left side of the penalty area and passed a ball square. It deceived the Mexican defence and Maniche, who ran on to it, placed the ball high beyond Oswaldo Sanchez.

The second goal came after 23 minutes when Rafael Marquez reached with his hand to meet a cross from a corner. The resultant penalty saw a theatrical display by Sanchez on the goal line but Simão scored hard to his right.

If Mexico's Omar Bravo had a better game the result might have been a Mexican victory. In the first half he volleyed wide and via a Ricardo leg-save hit the crossbar; on 63 minutes through on goal he blazed over.

Bravo's best chance came on a 56 minute penalty kick after a move of neat passes ended with Miguel's arm connecting with Luis Perez's ball control in the area. Bravo stepped up and hit well over.

Statistics say ball possession was equal and shots on goal were just shaded by Mexico despite the fact Ricardo La Volpe's side had to play the last half hour with 10 men.

Perez received his second yellow card four minutes after Bravo had missed his penalty - sent off for foul simulation in the Portuguese penalty area, in an apparent attempt to get another. 

The biggest threat to Portugal's goal was posed by Jose Fonseca. He got four of six shots on target and scored the only Mexican goal, a glancing header from Bravo's corner kick.

Defeat to Portugal did not alter the top two positions in Group D. Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal would next play the team placed second in Group C in the round of sixteen, while Mexico had to play the winner of that group. 

Attendance: 52'000

Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)10px 10px

* 01 O Sanchez
* 14 G Pineda (Substitute: 69' J Castro)
* 04 R Marquez 65' 10px
* 05 R Osorio
* 03 C Salcido
* 22 F Rodriguez 22' 10px (Substitute: 45' A Zinha 87' 10px)
* 08 P Pardo
* 23 L Perez 27' 10px 61' 10px10px
* 16 M Mendez (Substitute: 80' G Franco)
* 17 F Fonseca
* 19 O Bravo

* 01 A Ricardo
* 13 L Miguel 26' 10px (Substitute: 61' R Paulo Ferreira)
* 16 A Ricardo Carvalho
* 05 F Meira
* 03 M Caneira
* 08 A Petit
* 18 N Maniche 69' 10px
* 19 C Tiago
* 07 L Figo (Substitute: 80' L Boa Morte 88' 10px)
* 11 S Simao
* 23 H Postiga (Substitute: 69' M Nuno Gomes 91'+ 10px)

Fifa World Cup Group D table June 21, 2006
Mexico Portugal Football (soccer) FIFA World Cup 2006