LISBON, 30 June 2004 — Portugal aim to end a jinx dating back nearly 40 years when they face the Netherlands in their Euro 2004 semifinal today. The match at the Jose Alvalade stadium will be Portugal’s fourth major semifinal and they will pray it does not end the same way as the other three — in defeat. Their Brazilian coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, who said before the tournament started that their objective was to reach at least the semifinals, now has a different perspective.
“We want to get to the final now, of course,” he said yesterday. “We want to change history but we have a very difficult opponent ahead of us.”
Recent history, as well as the fates, would appear to be against Portugal advancing. The last four host nations have all lost in the semifinals — while Portugal’s own record at this stage of major competitions reads played three, lost three. Portugal’s first semifinal defeat came when they appeared in the World Cup finals for the first time in 1966. Portugal qualified from a first round group that included world champions Brazil, Hungary and Bulgaria.
However, they seemed to be going out when they went 3-0 down to North Korea in the quarterfinals before a sensational four-goal performance from Eusebio brought a famous 5-3 victory.
They played England in the semifinal at Wembley, losing 2-1 to a Bobby Charlton double. Eusebio pulled one back with a late penalty but left the field in tears as they lost minutes later.
Eighteen years on the same fate befell Portugal when they again reached the semifinals on their debut in the European Championship, and again were beaten by the host nation.
Their match against France in Marseille is one of the most dramatic ever played in the competition, with France winning 3-2 even though Portugal had led for 17 minutes of extra time.
Portugal qualified with Spain from a first round group that also included champions Germany and Romania and, with only eight teams competing in the finals, went straight into the semis.
France, World Cup semifinalists two years previously, boasted the likes of Michel Platini, Jean Tigana, Alain Giresse and Luis Fernandez, and it was no surprise when they took the lead through Jean-Francois Domergue after 25 minutes.
Rui Jordao rewrote the script by equalizing after 74 minutes — and then stunned France by putting Portugal ahead seven minutes into extra time. The heat of the night, the passion of the crowd and the brilliant play on the pitch all conspired to transform an already incredible match into something mythical.
Domergue struck again to equalize for France after 115 minutes before Platini created a tiny oasis of time and space for himself in a frantic penalty area to lash home France’s winner with a minute to play. France thwarted Portugal in the semifinals again in 2000 but in very different circumstances to 1984. Portugal won all three group matches against England, Romania and Germany before eliminating Turkey in the quarterfinals.
They now faced the world champions in Brussels and went ahead with a fine goal from Nuno Gomes after 19 minutes, but the night was to end in ignominy for him and Portuguese soccer.
A Thierry Henry equalizer early in the second half ultimately meant extra time and with 117 minutes played the score was still 1-1 when a shot from Sylvain Wiltord hit Abel Xavier’s arm, sparking mayhem. Austrian referee Gunter Benko consulted a linesman then awarded a penalty. The Portuguese players went crazy, jostling and pushing the officials and refusing to accept the decision. Nuno Gomes was eventually sent off and was one of three players later handed lengthy suspensions by UEFA. Once calm was restored, Zinedine Zidane struck the golden goal penalty winner and, like England in 1966 and France in 1984, the French went on to win the tournament in 2000. A jinx for Portugal but an omen for the Dutch? Time will soon tell.
