Frankfurt, June 17 :

Portugal ended Iran’s campaign at the world cup when the Asian side lost 2-0 at the FIFA World Cup Stadium in Frankfurt on Saturday. Second half goals from Deco and Christiano Ronaldo sealed the win for Portugal, who played an indifferent first half.

Portugal dominated the early exchanges and the fact that they had never lost the second match at the World Cup boded well for them. In the fourth minute, a long ball was hoofed up to Pauleta but he was caught offside.

Iran struggled to string more than two passes together as Portugal passed the ball around nicely. In the next minute a good challenge by Javad Nekounam thwarted Pauleta as he tried to unleash another shot. Maniche then fired in snapshot from distance but it was well over.

In the seventh minute, Luis Figo took the first corner of the match for Portugal and looped out towards Maniche, who was waiting on the edge of the box. However, the former Chelsea loan player sent another rash shot high and wide. Deco looked like he was warming up as he tested Ebrahim Mirzapour with a stinging shot but it was tipped to safety over the bar for a corner.

Portugal displayed shades of Argentina as they strung together passes across midfield but Luis Figo got trapped by two Iran defenders and could not get his cross through in the 27th minute.

Minutes before the half time Iran enjoyed a spell of possession as Ali Karimi made progress down the right flank. The ball was weaved through to Vahid Hashemian but the Hanover player could not get a shot on goal as Portugal defence cleared it up.

Portugal and Iran had met once earlier in a friendly in Brazil in 1972, which Portugal had won 3-0. The first half was a story of poor finishing by Portugal and some dogged defending by the Iranians. As Portugal pressed forward, Cristiano Ronaldo had another good chance in the 55th minute but Iranian keeper Ebrahim Mirzapour got down well to save the 21-year-old’s left-footed shot.

In the 63rd minute, Portugal finally broke the Iranians and the deadlock when Portugal captain Luis Figo selflessly laid off the ball to Deco, who sent in a curling right-footed shot straight into the corner of the net from 20 yards out.

Five minutes later, Rasoul Khatibi had a great chance to level for Iran, just minutes after coming on to the field. With the Portugal defence in disarray, Khatibi received a long ball in the box but his shot glanced across the face of the goal and Portugal survived.

Iran knew their World Cup will be over unless they could find an equaliser. Mehdi Mahdavikia

tried to weave his way through but Portugal defence held firm.

In the 80th minute, as Figo tried to weave his way through the Iranian box he was brought down and referee pointed towards the penalty spot. Christiano Ronaldo, who had an indifferent match, stepped in to take and slammed it to the left corner of the goal giving Portugal a 2-0 lead.

Painuly is an Editorial Consultant with The Himalayan Times and is writing exclusively for THT from Germany.