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USA 2-2 Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo sets up injury time equaliser for Varela as Paulo Bento's side keep their World Cup hopes alive
- Varela headed home Cristiano Ronaldo's cross in injury time to keep Portugal in tournament
- Portugal led in fifth minute when Nani fired home from Geoff Cameron's sliced clearance
- USA hit back through Jermaine Jones and led with nine minutes to play when Clint Dempsey scored
- Varela's goal staved off elimination for Portugal, who face Ghana next
- USA play Germany in final game needing a point to reach knockout stages
USA 2-2 Portugal: Match Zone
Click here for all the stats in our brilliant Match Zone, including this graphic of Nani's opening goal for Portugal.
With twenty five seconds left in
the oppressive heat of Manaus, the world's greatest player finally made
his mark on the world's greatest stage.
Trailing
2-1 to Jurgen Klinsmann's USA having played dreadfully once again,
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal were facing a World Cup humiliation to
put in the same bracket as England's.
But
after USA midfielder Michael Bradley — who had played brilliantly —
lost possession in the centre circle in the 95th minute, Ronaldo broke
down the right to deliver a sensational cross that allowed substitute
Silvestre Varela to head powerfully past Tim Howard at the far post.
In
an instant American hearts broke wide open. Now, instead of going to
Recife to scrap with Germany for top spot on Thursday, they know this
group is once again wide open. Portugal will have to improve against
Ghana but at least they remain alive.
MATCH FACTS
USA (4-2-3-1): Howard 7; Johnson 8, Cameron 6, Besler 7, Beasley 6.5; Beckerman 6.5, Jones 7; Bedoya 6.5 (Yedlin 72mins 6), Bradley 7.5, Zusi 6 Gonzales 90mins 6) ; Dempsey 6Subs not used: Guzan, Brooks, Johannsson, Diskerud, Davis, Green, Chandler, Rimando.
Goals: Jones 65, Dempsey 81
Booked: Jones
PORTUGAL (4-3-3): Beto 7; Pereira 6.5, Costa 6, Alves 6, Almeida 5 (Carvalho 45mins 5); Moutinho 6, Veloso 5.5, Meireles 5.5 (Varela 68mins 6); Ronaldo 6, Postiga 5 (Eder 15mins 5), Nani 6
Subs not used: Eduardo, Vieirinha, Luis Neto, Rafa, Ruben Amorim, Rui Patricio.
Goals: Nani 5, Varela 90+5
Man of the Match: Johnson
Referee: Nestor Pittana (Argentina)
*Match ratings by Ian Ladyman
Great players only need a few seconds to change things, though, and Portugal move forwards now knowing that with Ronaldo in their team just about anything really is possible.
Given the traumatic nature of their opening defeat by Germany, the night couldn’t have started any better for Portugal.
The USA were still finding their feet in the opening moments when their Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron got himself in a muddle as he attempted to clear what was a pretty routine cross from Miguel Veloso on the left.
When he failed to deal with the threat and presented the ball straight to Nani at the far post, the Manchester United winger had time to control it, steady himself and plant the ball high above Howard, who had gone to ground early, from only six or seven yards.
The Portuguese — needing a victory so badly — could hardly believe their luck but it was peculiar how poorly they went on to play for the rest of the half. Certainly the United States could have equalised and probably should have done.
Then Dempsey curled a free-kick over before the former Fulham forward was played in by Michael Bradley only to see Portugal keeper Beto save with his legs.
Bradley, Johnson and Dempsey were all to threaten again before the half hour from various distances as Portugal found themselves unable to keep possession for any length of time.
Ronaldo did present Nani with a chance with a pass to his right in the 42nd minute only for Howard to save the low drive from the edge of the penalty area. Then Howard somehow fumbled another Nani shot on to his lefthand post before saving Eder’s follow-up superbly with a scoop of his left hand.
It was at the other end where the greatest talking point lay, though, as America came within a whisker of equalising.
Johnson was continuing to terrorise Portugal with his raids down the right and moments after Beto saved his cross shot at the near post he raced to the byline again to pull the ball back perfectly in to Bradley’s stride. The USA midfielder looked certain to score but somehow Portugal defender Ricardo Costa managed to deflect the close-range shot over the bar with his knee cap.
Moments after Ronaldo had broken to slash a shot wildly off target, America forced a corner and when it was cleared to the edge of the box, Nani could only nod the ball in to the path of Jones 20 yards or so out.
The Besiktas midfielder took one touch to control it, another to shift it out of his feet and one more to curl a powerful shot into the corner with his right foot. It was a superb shot and USA had the parity their football deserved at that point.
But the plain truth was that USA were better and they broke to take the lead with nine minutes left.
Again Johnson supplied the cross from the right and when Portugal couldn’t clear, Bradley’s scuffed effort screwed wide to Graham Zusi and his cross shot was nudged in by Dempsey with his midriff.
At this stage it looked all over for Portugal and Ronaldo. We should have known better to believe that.
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