Angola Team: J.Ricardo, Loco, Delgado, Kali, Jamba, Figueiredo(Miloy 79), Macanga, Mateus, Mendonca, Ze Kalanga(Edson 69), Akwa(Mantorras 59).

Portugal Team: Ricardo, Valente, Miguel, Meira, Carvalho, Simao, Ronaldo(Costinha 59), Tiago(Viana 81), Petit(Maniche 71), Figo, Pauleta.

Match Report: It didn't take long to set the tone for this game, as Portugal came forward straight from the kick off and almost scored the fastest World Cup goal in 10 seconds flat. Pauleta was released clear through the middle and his shot rolled inches wide of the Angolan goal with the goalkeeper struggling.

Most of us have not seen Angola in action before, and first impressions indicated that they would be a physical and athletic team. Almost to a man they were big, strong and muscular - and to be honest, a bit scary. However, It would not take long to find out that their footballing ability was extremely limited.

In the third minute, Figo (hardly an Olympic sprinter) surged through the middle and stripped Jamba for pace with ease, his cut back across the box made an easy finish for Pauleta, 1-0.

The sense of impending doom for Angola was clear, but didn't last too long as they organised into a defensive 4-5-1 formation, with the intent of stifling Portugal's play. There was no stifling Figo however, as he roamed virtually unchecked for the rest of the first half, orchestrating Portugal's offence and generally showing everyone else on the pitch how this game should be played.

Angola were limited to the odd counter attack, Mendonca unleashed an audacious 40 yard effort that swerved and momentarily worried the Portuguese 'keeper, and Akwa attempted to overhead kick anything that was over 6 inches from the turf, but other than that, it was all Portugal.

Pauleta almost bagged a second when he lifted a ball over a hopelessly out of position Ricardo in the Angolan goal, Ronaldo should have done better from a Figo cross from the left and then headed a Figo corner onto the bar. Petit and Tiago looked comfortable in midfield and kept probing for the breakthrough, but it never came. Frustrating for both the Portuguese and the viewer.

Ronaldo seemed to have his laces tied together, as every time he tried to dribble he tripped himself up, and most of the Portuguese side just kept falling over when any hint of a challenge came near. We hoped for better in the second half.

Half Time: Angola 0 Portugal 1

We didn't get it. The second half was all Portugal, with Figo's influence beginning to wane as he got tired, he is 46 you know. Tiago continued to play well in midfield and Pauleta always looked to give an option up front. Miguel made the odd foray down the right which looked promising, but there was no cutting edge and the game sort of went into decay.

On 50 minutes a genuine good chance was wasted by Pauleta, who tried a curler from 30 yards instead of playing in Simao to his left, who had a clear run on goal. Ronaldo was substituted by Scolari and then sat sulking on the bench, and Macanga began to emerge as the one Angolan who could play a bit.

5 other substitutions came, none of which had any impact on the game although Maniche unleashed a mighty strike in the last minute which was tipped over. The final whistle when it came was a blessing.

Angola seemed happy to have avoided embarassment by not shipping a bucketful of goals, and Portugal seemed happy to have got the points. On this showing Big Phil Scolari will have to work a few magic spells to retain his manager trophy from the last World Cup.

Full Time: Angola 0 Portugal 1

Angola Ratings: J.Ricardo 6, Loco 4, Delgado 3, Kali 5, Jamba 4, Figueiredo 5, Macanga 7, Mateus 4, Mendonca 4, Ze Kalanga 4, Akwa 4.
Subs: Miloy 4, Edson 4 Mantorras 3
Cards: Yellow: Janba, Loco, Macanga

Portugal Ratings: Ricardo 5, Valente 5, Miguel 6, Meira 4, Carvalho 6, Simao 5, Ronaldo 4, Tiago 7, Petit 6, Figo 8, Pauleta 6.
Subs: Costinha 5, Viana 5 Maniche 5
Cards: Yellow: Ronaldo, Valente

Referee: J.Larrionda (Uruguay) 6. Did ok, but was a little bit picky with handing the cards out for fairly innoccuous stuff. Controlled the game well though.

Good: Figo was excellent in the first half and was head and shoulders above everyone. Unfortunately he got tired and didn't do much later on.

Bad: Delgado, the Angolan left back was clueless. He just punted every ball he got into the middle of the park, usually to a Portuguese player.

Ugly: Loco's crazy hair style looked like a spider stapled to his forehead. Portuguese players dropping to the floor and rolling around at every opportunity, and Ronaldo's shirt. What was all that about? Looked like he'd taken a stanley knife to it.