Classy Portugal score four on Spain in Lisbon
Portugal overcame Spain in a heated Iberian derby at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz on Wednesday 17 November.
Both sides showed attacking intent in the game, but it was Portugal who converted their chances, winning 4–0 after goals from Carlos Martins, Hugo Almeida and a brace from Helder Postiga.
"We could not have played any worse today and I am upset because it was an important game," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque told Spanish daily
Marca after the game, clearly disappointed with the world champions' performance. "We have no excuse because we gave them many chances."
Cristiano Ronaldo began his influential display by stretching to play in Nani, who took one touch before hitting a left-footed shot that went just wide of Iker Casillas' left post.
Andres Iniesta then broke through the Portugal defence, hitting a half-volley just wide.
Spain earned more opportunities to score when David Villa turned and shot straight at Eduardo Carvalho and David Silva failed to hit the target with a free header eight yards from the goal.
Nani robs Ronaldo of fantastic lob
Nani then denied Ronaldo a goal in spectacular fashion. The Real Madrid star skipped past Gerard Pique before producing an exquisite lob that was going in when Nani, who was offside, headed it in on the
goal line to the fury of his team-mate.
Pique made up for his slip against Ronaldo by clearing Martins' volley off the goal line with 38 minutes gone.
The Portuguese finally got their goal just before half-time, as Ronaldo cut back from the byline to force a save from Casillas before Martins hit the rebound into the net.
Postiga scored his first goal four minutes after the interval with a neat flick after being played in by Joao Moutinho from the right side of the box.
Nani continued to waste opportunities, squandering one of his own making in the 52nd minute. Alone with Casillas, the Manchester United player could only finish with a tame lob that the keeper had no trouble
collecting.
Postiga and Almeida put the game beyond doubt
Substitute Cesc Fabregas then hit an acrobatic strike wide of the left post before Postiga collected another clever assist from Moutinho in the area with 68 minutes gone. The Sporting CP striker turned
swiftly and finished with ease into the left corner of the goal.
Portugal added a fourth as Spain were pressing the home team's defence for a consolation.
In a perfectly executed counter attack, substitute Hugo Almeida was left alone with Casillas, bending a shot around the goalkeeper and in at the near post.
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