Chapter 623: Facing England
With Portugal's hard-fought 1-0 victory over Croatia, the four semifinalists of the World Cup were officially determined. The matchups were set: France vs. Belgium in the upper bracket, and Portugal vs. England in the lower bracket.
Both Portugal and England were very familiar with each other's players, as many Portuguese players either currently played in the Premier League or had done so in the past. This familiarity made both teams well aware of how challenging the other would be.
July 11th, Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium
World Cup Semifinals: Portugal vs. England
The day before, France had narrowly defeated Belgium 1-0, becoming the first team to secure a spot in the final. After the match, Kylian Mbappé called both Bruno and Harry Kane to boast, teasing that if either made it to the final, he wouldn't hold back and would relish the chance to face them head-on.
Both managers fielded their strongest lineups for this pivotal match.
England: Gareth Southgate deployed his favored 3-5-2 formation.Goalkeeper: Jordan PickfordThree central defenders: Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, and John StonesMidfield five: Kieran Trippier, Jesse Lingard, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, and Ashley YoungTwo forwards: Harry Kane and Raheem SterlingPortugal: Fernando Santos opted for a 4-3-2-1 "Christmas tree" formation, a bold new tactical experiment.Goalkeeper: Rui PatrícioDefenders: João Cancelo, Pepe, José Fonte, and Raphaël GuerreiroMidfield trio: João Mário, João Moutinho, and William CarvalhoAttacking midfielders: Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo SilvaLone striker: Cristiano Ronaldo
This was a new strategy for Portugal, one they hadn't previously used.
The match began disastrously for Portugal.
Minute 3: João Mário committed a foul, giving England a free kick in a dangerous position. Kieran Trippier stepped up and delivered a perfect shot that dipped into the top corner.
Portugal 0-1 England!
"Ohhh! What a fantastic start! Just three minutes into the match, and England are ahead!" exclaimed Andy Gray, the English commentator. "It looks like this game will be a breeze for England! Portugal's new formation clearly isn't working, and Santos is sure to face criticism from fans and media alike!"
The early goal visibly deflated the Portuguese players. Conceding so soon was a severe blow to their morale.
Santos remained expressionless on the bench. He had anticipated the possibility of conceding a goal when he decided to experiment with the new formation.
While the 4-3-2-1 formation offers a balanced approach with midfield dominance, it's vulnerable on the flanks. England's goal had come from exploiting this weakness.
On the pitch, Bruno muttered a curse under his breath, frustrated by the situation. The unfamiliar formation was disrupting the team's usual cohesion, as evidenced by the miscommunication that led to João Mário's foul.
"Playing like this, winning will be tough," Bruno thought.
The commentators speculated on Santos' reasoning:
"Why did Santos opt for such an untested formation in such a crucial game? Perhaps he wanted to catch England off guard. But so far, it's backfired, leaving Portugal on the back foot."
While England celebrated, Bruno called over Bernardo Silva, Ronaldo, João Mário, Moutinho, and William Carvalho for an impromptu huddle.
Ronaldo, though the captain, wasn't known for tactical adjustments. In such moments, it was either up to Santos or Bruno to provide direction.
Bruno spoke directly to Bernardo Silva:
"We need to simplify our attacking plays. Release the ball quickly whenever there's an opportunity."
Bernardo, known for his technical prowess, often held onto the ball too long, missing potential passing opportunities. While Bruno shared similar technical skills, he prioritized effective distribution over flashy dribbling.
Hearing this from Bruno, Bernardo nodded without protest.
Bruno continued:
"Cristiano has the physicality to hold up the ball. We need to support him actively. When he receives the ball, everyone should be ready to help."
He turned to Ronaldo.
"Cristiano, keep an eye on our positioning. And if you get a good chance, take the shot. Don't overthink about passing—remember, you're the striker!"
Ronaldo nodded. At 33 years old, he knew this could be his last World Cup semifinal. The pressure of the moment wasn't lost on him.
After England's celebration ended and the huddle broke up, Bruno gestured to the fullbacks, urging them to push forward during attacks.
"We've got no choice now. We need to go all-in on offense!" Bruno shouted, clapping his hands to rally the team.
Portugal's approach shifted noticeably after the restart. They launched more aggressive attacks, leading to an open, fast-paced game.
England's Dele Alli weaved past three defenders, only to be stopped by a last-ditch tackle. Moments later, Bernardo Silva forced a spectacular save from Pickford with a long-range shot.
Then, Henderson fouled Bruno, earning a yellow card. Ronaldo stepped up for a powerful free kick, but his shot hit Dele Alli, who collapsed in pain. Play was paused while medical staff attended to him.
As the first half neared its end, Bruno drifted to the wing and showcased his dribbling skills, cutting past multiple defenders before sending a diagonal pass into the box.
Ronaldo broke free from his markers and found himself one-on-one with Pickford.
"This is Portugal's best chance of the half! Cristiano Ronaldo's through on goal! He shoots... and misses!"
Ronaldo's lack of confidence showed as his shot narrowly missed the target, skimming past the post. He held his head in his hands, visibly dejected.
Shortly after, the referee blew the halftime whistle. Portugal trailed England 1-0.
In the locker room, Santos refrained from criticizing his players. Instead, he praised their resilience in adapting to the new formation and encouraged them to stay patient.
"We're only one goal down. There's still plenty of time to turn this around."
He didn't dwell on Ronaldo's missed chance, simply advising him to be more confident in similar situations.
Second Half:
England sought to capitalize on their lead with an aggressive start, aiming for a second goal to crush Portugal's morale.
Portugal's players recognized the stakes. Another goal would likely seal their fate. They tightened their defense, with even Ronaldo dropping back to help.
After 15 minutes of holding off England's attacks, Portugal began plotting their counterattack.
Minute 67: Portugal struck back.
Bruno passed to Bernardo Silva, who quickly fed the ball to Ronaldo. With Maguire marking him closely, Ronaldo shielded the ball and waited for support.
Portugal's counterattack had begun.
(To be continued...)
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