Deco drives Portugal past Iran

[Dekinha20]

Saturday, 17 June 2006

A thunderous strike from FC Barcelona midfielder Deco helped Portugal on their way to a 2-0 win against Iran in Frankfurt which saw them book their place in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup. The 28-year-old broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, with a thumping, first-time drive into the left-hand corner from 22 metres. Cristiano Ronaldo added a second from the penalty spot with ten minutes remaining.

Frustrated Pauleta
However, the match was a struggle for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s players, who struggled to break down an organised Iranian side for whom defeat means they cannot qualify from Group D. Deco came closest in the first half with a left-foot volley that Ebrahim Mirzapour did brilliantly to turn over. Time and again Ronaldo beat his man out on the Portuguese right but failed to deliver a telling cross into the area, and lone striker Pauleta increasingly cut a frustrated figure.

Deco delight
The second half followed much the same pattern until Luís Figo teed up Deco, who missed the first game against Angola through injury, and the UEFA Champions League winner gave Mirzapour no chance to send the previously anxious Portuguese fans into raptures. Vahid Hashemian could have brought his side level 11 minutes from time but failed to get enough power behind his header.

Ronaldo penalty
A minute later the points were safe when Figo was felled by a late Yahya Golmohammadi tackle are referee Eric Poulat pointed to the penalty spot. Ronaldo placed the spot-kick into the top-left corner to make sure of Portugal's berth in the last 16.

[Dekinha20]

Deco video interview,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1WMEBzdeIs&search=deco

[Dekinha20]

Video of goal,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bxn9ljDhRw&search=deco

[Dekinha20]

Deco wont face England because he got a red card against Holland.

[alwaysdeco]

oh i was so sad when deco got the red card............it was a real tragedy..because then he also couldn't play against england .......

[Decoforever]

Yes, I didn't like it either but I think it was better for him to be suspended against England but to play against France and Germany. Because if he finished the Netherlands-match with one yellow card he would always had to be careful not to achieve another yellow in the match against England and later France. Because then he would have been suspended for the last match and that would really have been a pity!!! Furthermore he was toooo cute to watch as he stood outside the pitch and watched the game from there... ;-)