Streaks on the Line during Portugal and France Semifinal
It is going to be tough to top the excitement of yesterday’s semifinal between Italy and Germany but today’s match does have a lot of intrigue. In addition to seeing two of a generation’s best players, Portugal and France both enter the contest with some impressive streaks on the line.
Portugal have gone 17 competitive matches without defeat, dating back to their loss to Greece in the Euro 2004 final. France are on a similar run, having gone 15 games unbeaten. Their last defeat also came against Greece in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004.
It is a good thing that neither team had to play Greece this World Cup. By the looks of things, no one will be playing Greece for awhile.
In head-to-head play, France has not lost to Portugal in 31 years. Les Blues have defeated Portugal 15 times, lost 5 times and the two teams have played to one draw.
France has never lost to Portugal in a major tournament, having come out on top in both the 1984 and 2000 European Championships.
One streak that Portugal does have in their favor belongs to coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Big Phil has never lost a World Cup match, accumulating 11 wins and 1 draw while at the helm of Brazil and Portugal.
Something has to give today. Here’s hoping the game turns out to have a least a portion of the drama of yesterday’s semifinal.
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Comments
By Pedro P | July 5th, 2006 at 2:29 pm 
It’s POR’s time! 
No matter the cheap provocations and propaganda trying to pitch us as exactly what our defeated foes did to us, no matter what the dificulties are - just remember that half the italians played yesterday knowing they won’t have a team this season (playing in serie A) and the german newspaper Der Spiegel statements, saying italians are nothing than greasy lazy mamma’s boys…
OK, the dutch tried to break our legs, the english made up excuses for a defeat their team could have gotten if they’d had more courage and belief, and the french were already calling the portuguese savages.
I love it when the french call us savages… Has something sexy to it… “Oh… You, ze porrtiuguize arre zo zavadge…”
In any case, FRA are indeed super strong, super favourites, but hey, they are the ones who capitalized on a dive. Not us, no matter what the blind and lobotomized propaganda says…
OK… Let’s just follow Italy’s example… Let them talk, let them try to put us down, let’s shut our mouths, let’s make our game, and LET’S WIN!!!
It’s what we’ve been doing, actually… So, I kinda understand POR’s not making any friends… 
Bonne chance a toutes les francais ce soir! Mais le Portugal va gagner!!!
FORCA PORTUGAL, ATE A FINAL!!!
Posted from 
Netherlands
By nono | July 5th, 2006 at 2:51 pm come on France has not charged you with diving, only France-Soir did but it is a shi**y newspaper nearly bankrupt that deperately tries to find sth to catch readers again.
Posted from 
France
By Pedro P | July 5th, 2006 at 3:02 pm Sorry nono! POR has been kicked too much. Win or loose (of course I want POR to win but not at all cost), let’s just be fair. You offer peace, I accept!
Bonne chance ce soir!
Posted from Netherlands
By Dave Hamilton | July 5th, 2006 at 3:07 pm I am in Portugal’s corner, but mainly because of Big Phil..pyrrhic victory is better than none at all.
Posted from 
United States
By Smelly Cat | July 5th, 2006 at 3:18 pm If we go back and look to the other games played by this to teams we can expect a great game.
Is that what I’m expecting.
If we win we are gonna have big party.
If we lose we will be glad with our players cause they surely give everything by their country.
Posted from 
Portugal
By janus | July 5th, 2006 at 3:19 pm I believe Gallas will be eating his words after today’s match. A frenchman accusing the portuguese of diving is like the pot calling the kettle black, or has he forgotten Henry’s swan dive against Spain which led to their goal? Where has Portugal benefitted from diving in this Cup?
I guess that some french press and players (Gallas and Ribery) learned nothing from the English tabloid’s attempts to destabilize the portuguese by “pre-warning” against their “cheating”. You tell a lie enough times and it eventually sticks, an old rule of propaganda picked up in the Goebbels days which is still effective today. The problem is that it didn’t work for the English and it won’t work for the French. On the contrary, when you fail to show the Portuguese the respect they deserve and embrace arrogant jingoistic language, you are actually playing into Scolari’s hands. I believe the Portuguese will teach the french press and some of its players what respect is all about later today.
On a final note, notice that Domenech dismissed these reports in the french press and tried to downplay the psychological warfare espoused by some of his players. Smart man that Domenech.
May we see a beautiful match and an Italy v. Portugal final.
Posted from 
Belgium
By Seb | July 5th, 2006 at 3:52 pm Those savages comments from Domenech are from 2003 after the Portuguese under 21 totally trashed their lockers following a victory in France.
Hardly worth all the current fuss.
And janus, diving is diving, it shouldn’t be excused just because no one took advantage of it. OK, Henry faked an elbow injury and we scored on the ensuing free kick. But that doesn’t mean Portuguese (or any other team) diving was less harmful.
Posted from France
By sunshine | July 5th, 2006 at 3:53 pm confident that france will be victors tonight and also come sunday france you ave got the goods deliver
By Smelly Cat | July 5th, 2006 at 3:56 pm Domenech didn’t made any comment, it was Gallas and are just to press the referee but there is ok cause we believe in our players (as all of you belive in yours).
I just think that it isn’t necessary to attack the other team before, you just have to believe in your players. And we believe it’s possible.
Posted from Portugal
By Colleen Naples Fl | July 5th, 2006 at 4:21 pm I keep on her about scholari , I respect him allot but still he can’t paly for his players, remeber Platini coach of France in the the early 90, France had one for 2 years and got trashed at the Euro and famous Platini could do nothing his a coach not a player
By janus | July 5th, 2006 at 4:31 pm @Seb,
I agree with you, diving is diving no matter who does it. And, by the way, I believe every single team (yes every single one) does it, some are just better (ie. can hide it better) than others. There are famous stories about coaches and their diving lessons to players from all over Europe.
I also wish that the press (be it the english or french or portuguese tabloids, whatever) take a step back from this psychological warfare and not encourage hatred and violence.
Having said all that, as a Portugal fan I want them to win the match convincingly and with less theatrics (that goes for the French too). Both sides should try to stay on their feet and forget about the ref.
Posted from Belgium
By Haarf | July 5th, 2006 at 4:42 pm Stop pretending there is a lack of respect from France and playing the offended victims.
It seems that Portugal newspapers and supporters are looking for the negative comments in France. Actually there were a few words from Gallas and a shi**y French newspapers nobody reads. All of the rest respect Portugal, don’t even think France is favourite and think it will be a tough game.
Concerning Henry, even if he faked an elbow injury the foul was real, it was an obvious obstruction wether you like it or not.
Peace and good game now.
Posted from France
By Lurch | July 5th, 2006 at 5:18 pm Portugual no doubt has a talented team, but France is more talented. France *should* win this game, but at ths level anything can happen.
Here’s hoping whoever wins will not suffer any suspensions for the final.
By Pedro P | July 5th, 2006 at 5:23 pm The way I see it, FRA has the advantage of beeing in a crescent psycological edge. Zidane come back to life and, I mean, words for what…? The man is a genius…
POR was dead tired at the end of the ENG match and missed Deco more than I expected. FRA is weaker down the wings than ENG but 100 times more cunning and, why not say it, technical. They are clearly the favourites, moreover they DID beat Brazil. But POR has enough quality to win and, overall, I believe POR is a more balanced team. Pitty we don’t have a striker like Henry, but well… Can’t have it all.
FORCA PORTUGAL!
Posted from Netherlands
By Massimo | July 5th, 2006 at 5:56 pm You know Pedro P and myself have been fighting a lot before the world cup started on this blog site,
I just wanted to congratulate him and his team. Portugal have already shown they are a world class team, not one strong team that always loses against the powerhouses. They are now officially a powerhouse.
i hope that they win tonight against those frog-eating French. Actually only real french poeple eat frogs that team doesn’t even have french people. Except Ribbery he is good. A tough beast just like Gattuso.
Anyways good luck portugal hope to meet you in the Final. that would be excellent.
Posted from 
Italy
By Pedro P | July 5th, 2006 at 6:37 pm Grazzie Massimo. Tutti gli portuguese te salutano oggi!
I know I made a lot of fouls in my italian… Thanks, dude! It’d be great to meet you in the Final. I’m sure the guys will drop their last drop of swet on the pitch.
Congratulations on the win over GER. I do think ITA played very good. In their style (and not just defending + deadly counters)… You finished the game with 4 frontmen… Pirlo was a giant. Good show.
Hope POR wins tonight!
FORCA PORTUGAL!!! ATE A FINAL!!!
Posted from Netherlands
By JOUALIHAMID | July 5th, 2006 at 8:49 pm The ball is a round thing,it’s hard to play it with the logical system,but if you have a chance to cach the ball and strike it through the rigth target, that’s for sure you will win your chance.Otherwise it will turn to be against your goal.
Posted from United States
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