2010 World Cup: Brazil v Portugal half time report
Brazil 0 Portugal 0
Brazil and Portugal are goalless at the end of the first half in Durban.
The game was littered with yellow cards, seven in total. Brazil created the best chances to take the lead.
On six minutes, Dani Alves hit a shot which dipped and went wide of Portugal keeper’s Eduardo’s right hand post.
Fábio Coentrão had Portugal’s best effort, although a shot never came, Brazil keeper Júlio César flapped at his cross.
On 18 minutes, Raul Meireles’ cross from the left picked out Tiago on the edge of the box, but he sliced his volley wide of the target.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, playing in a centre forward role, hit a free-kick well over the bar from a ridiculous range.
Half an hour into the game, Nilmar almost gave the Brazilians the lead, as he got onto the end of a hopeful ball into the box and got his shot away, only for Eduardo to make a decent save and divert the ball onto the bar.
A couple of minutes later, Tiago was booked for diving in the penalty area after he felt he was shoved from behind.
Pepe was lucky not to see red for Portugal as he left his foot on Felipe Melo.
Six minutes from half time, Luís Fabiano’s header from Maicon’s cross was a fraction wide of the target.
It was a first half which was more about the referee than the players.
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