DOHA- Back-to-back wins. Qualification with a game to spare. Cristiano Ronaldo already among the goal scorers. The group stage could hardly have gone any better for Portugal at the World Cup.
There’s still one loose end to tie up.
Portugal needs a point in its last Group H match against South Korea on Friday to guarantee finishing in first place. That might come with a perk — avoiding Brazil in the last 16.
“If we had to face each other, it would be a game between two great teams,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “But our wish, and Brazil’s, is that we meet later on.”
After the 2-0 win over Uruguay on Monday, Santos said he wasn’t planning to rest too many key players against South Korea. Ronaldo may be an exception.
Three games in nine days could prove to be too much for the 37-year-old striker, who hasn’t played significant minutes this season for Manchester United — the English team which recently terminated its contract with Ronaldo after his explosive pre-World Cup interview blasting the club’s manager, owners and even his teammates.
Ronaldo missed team training on Wednesday, instead completing a session in the gym, and there’s a chance he will be saved for the last 16. That would give the likes of Gonçalo Ramos or Andre Silva a rare chance to start up front.
Santos said he will take into account which players are tired and also who has already collected a yellow card, to avoid the threat of suspension. The players who have been booked are Ruben Dias, Ruben Neves, Joao Felix, Bruno Fernandes and Danilo.
South Korea needs a win as well as a favor in the other game taking place concurrently, between Ghana and Uruguay, to join Portugal in advancing from the group.
A win for Ghana, which is in second place on three points — three behind Portugal and two clear of South Korea and Uruguay, would mean the South Koreans cannot qualify whatever their result at Education City Stadium outside Doha.
TODAY’S MATCHES
TEAMS KICK OFF
South Korea vs Portugal 8:30 PM
Ghana vs Uruguay 8:30 PM
Serbia vs Switzerland 12:30 AM
Cameroon vs Brazil 12:30 AM
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