Chapter 468: A Winning Start
In the 65th minute, Nani received a pass from Bruno on the right wing and crossed the ball. Unmarked, Cristiano Ronaldo's header just went over the bar. This attack left Ochoa frustrated with his defenders, yelling at them for their lack of focus.
The relentless Portuguese attacks made the Mexican players feel disheartened, as Portugal's offense was like a storm, leaving them unable to lift their heads.
Two minutes later, Quaresma made an individual effort and shot from sixteen meters out, but the ball went wide again.
In the 71st minute, Mexico finally got a chance to threaten Portugal's goal with a free kick from the right center. Portugal had scored earlier with a direct free kick, and now Mexico hoped to respond in kind. Vela's free kick was well-executed, but Patricio, in excellent form, leaped up and tipped the ball away.
"Oh! An outstanding save by Patricio! This was Mexico's best chance in the second half! Vela looks disappointed. His free kick was good, but not as perfect as Bruno's earlier. If it had been like Bruno's, even Patricio might not have saved it."
However, such comparisons were unreliable since the distances and styles of the free kicks were different. At 25 meters, a curved shot could aim for corners, but at 38 meters, a powerful direct shot was more effective.
...
Mexico's attack ended there, with the subsequent corner kick posing no threat to Patricio's goal, as Bruno headed the ball out at the near post. Then it was Portugal's turn to attack again.
In the 77th minute, Portugal's relentless attacking paid off. Bruno orchestrated the attack, passing the ball into a gap, where Ronaldo received it, entered the box, and was brought down by a Mexican defender. The referee immediately awarded a penalty!
This decision angered the Mexican players, who argued that Ronaldo had dived, but the referee stood by his call. The TV replay confirmed the referee's correctness; the Mexican defender had indeed fouled Ronaldo, even if Ronaldo's fall was somewhat exaggerated, it didn't change the fact of the foul.
As for who would take the penalty, Ronaldo was the designated taker for Portugal. Unless he chose to pass it, he would take it, especially since he had won the penalty himself.
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As expected, Ronaldo picked up the ball but then surprised everyone by walking it over to Bruno. "Take it," he said with a touch of pride.
"The penalty taker is you…" Bruno, who had been ready to watch, was astonished, staring at Ronaldo. The whole world knew how much Ronaldo craved goals, to the point of obsession. Whether for Real Madrid or Portugal, giving up a set-piece opportunity was as rare as the sun rising in the west.
But today, it happened twice. First, Ronaldo had let Bruno take a free kick, and now he was handing over the penalty.
If the earlier free kick was because Ronaldo wasn't confident about scoring from that distance, giving up this penalty was truly unexpected. Ronaldo was one of the world's best penalty takers, with an incredibly high success rate.
Ronaldo turned his head aside, saying, "Consider it me feeling off today. You've proven more reliable with penalties."
He walked away, leaving Bruno with the ball. Known as one of the best penalty takers in the world, Bruno had never missed since he started taking penalties, having converted fourteen straight for Udinese and Manchester United.
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Bruno took the ball without further ado and walked to the penalty spot. His teammates didn't mind Bruno taking the penalty; in their view, Portugal's recent successes were largely thanks to both Ronaldo and Bruno. Bruno's rise had been meteoric, leading Portugal to their first global tournament wins since he started playing.
Given Bruno's growing influence, his and Ronaldo's relationship had been under strain. Ronaldo using this penalty to mend their bond was a smart move.
Bruno prepared for the penalty, using his signature routine: a run-up with a sudden stutter step to throw off the goalkeeper's timing. Ochoa guessed and dived to his right, but the ball went straight down the middle into the net.
3-1! Portugal extended their lead!
The Portuguese players celebrated wildly, piling on top of Bruno. The Mexican players, on the other hand, were numb, realizing the improbability of a comeback. Their fans responded with boos, understanding that the group stage top spot was slipping away, and winning the Confederations Cup after 18 years was now nearly impossible.
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"Bruno held his nerve and scored the penalty, his second goal of the match and his fifteenth consecutive successful penalty! This is also his first penalty goal for the national team," the Portuguese commentator exclaimed. Whether Bruno truly felt immense pressure was unknown.
"Oh, oh, oh! Portugal leads Mexico 3-1 in the 77th minute! This score and timing spell despair for the Mexican team. What was anticipated to be a highly contested match has seen Portugal clearly dominate. They lead by two goals and seem comfortable."
The importance of this score led to even more fervent celebrations. The Portuguese players interacted with fans in the stands, chanting, "Victory! Victory! We are the victors!"
They began celebrating early, confident the win was secure with just over ten minutes left. Even the commentators shared this belief.
"Portugal will open their Confederations Cup campaign with a win!"
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Without realizing it, the match reached the 85th minute, and the score remained 3-1. Mexico continued attacking, but their efforts lacked spirit. Portugal, staying true to their form over the past two years, kept pushing for more goals, though luck wasn't on their side.
In the 89th minute, Quaresma missed a chance for his second goal, shooting over the bar from Nani's cross. Quaresma laughed it off, knowing the result was no longer in doubt.
Portugal's substitutes were already on their feet, ready to storm the field and celebrate the historic moment as soon as the final whistle blew. Portuguese fans in the stands hugged each other, some shedding tears of joy before the match even ended.
In stark contrast, most Mexican fans wore blank expressions, with some already leaving early.
The referee checked his watch and decided to end the match early, not needing the full four minutes of stoppage time. He blew the final whistle decisively.
"Game over! Congratulations to Portugal! They have won their first group stage match in the Confederations Cup!"
(End of Chapter)
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