Portugal 1-1 Sweden
The Seleção are into the semi-finals of the U21 European Championship, where they will play Germany on Saturday.
Portugal booked their place in the last four thanks to a 1-1 draw against Sweden. A fine late strike by Gonçalo Paciência seemed to have won it for Rui Jorge's men, but Tibbling's 90th-minute equaliser for Sweden saw the Scandinavian side deny Portugal victory, and join their opponents in the last four.
Portugal finish top of Group B, unbeaten in three games, although a return of just two goals in 270 minutes of football will certainly give Jorge food for thought.
After beating England by a single goal and then drawing somewhat fortuitously against Italy, Portugal went into the game against Sweden knowing avoiding defeat would be enough to qualify from the group. But the way the Seleção set about their business it appeared Jorge's pre-match message that they were only interested in winning had got through to the players.
Lightning start
Portugal produced their finest 20 minutes of the tournament, constantly bamboozling the Swedes with slick passing moves, zipping the ball from one flank to the other and through the centre, with the magnificent Bernardo Silva at the heart of most of it.
William Carvalho failed in his attempt to round goalkeeper Carlgren after a swift interchange had left Sweden's defenders chasing shadows, and Sérgio Oliveira and Ricardo Pereira fired just over the bar in quick succession, as a Portugal goal seemed only a matter of time.
However, the excellent start faded as Portugal dropped their intensity and Sweden began to get a foothold in the match, albeit without offering a real threat. Khalili at last called Portugal goalkeeper José Sá into action as half time approached, the Marítimo goalkeeper showing safe hands as he stretched to his right to grasp the ball.
Lack of cohesion
Sweden came out more strongly in the second half as Portugal disappeared as an attacking threat. Thelin headed a good chance into the ground and over the bar for the Swedes and substitute Tibbling began causing problems with his close control and nippy dribbling.
Like in Portugal's two previous games, while the defence looked solid there was a noticeable disconnect between the attack and the rest of the side, with Ivan Cavaleiro and Ricardo Pereira willing to work hard, but not getting much service or support when running into dangerous zones with the ball. At this stage of the match Portugal only gained a modicum of cohesion when the ball fell at Bernardo Silva's feet. Like in the two previous games, the lack of momentum was inverted substantially when substitutes Gonçalo Paciência and Iuri Medeiros came on, precisely for Ricardo and Cavaleiro.
Gonçalo may not have the technique of whoever Rui Jorge uses in his "false nine" system, but the young side seem to benefit from having a reference point in and around the box. As for Medeiros, the Azores-born winger had put in two impressive cameos in the first two group games and again he injected life and creativity into the side.
Super subs fire Portugal
The two newcomers on the pitch almost combined for a goal on 76 minutes, Gonçalo doing well to chase down what looked like a lost cause, winning the ball from a defender and laying it back for Medeiros, whose low curling effort brought a diving save out of Carlgren.
The same pair then created an excellent goal to put Portugal into the lead shortly afterwards. The Sporting winger sped down the right flank, cut inside and played an intelligent cross-field pass into Gonçalo's path. The FC Porto striker controlled the ball, shimmied past his marker and shot low and hard into the corner of the net from the top of the box.
At that stage Sweden were heading out of the tournament, and unsurprisingly the Nordic outfit proceeded to throw everything at the Portuguese defence, pumping a series of long balls into the box. When José Sá produced a good save and Ricardo Esgaio prevented a certain goal from the follow-up with a superb last-ditch interception, it seemed Portugal had guaranteed the win, but the lively Tibbling had other ideas, doing well to pounce on a loose ball in the box, wiggle his way towards goal and fire a right-foot effort that took a deflection to leave Sá helpless.
With a draw suiting both teams, the three minutes of stoppage time produced one of those embarrassing moments in international football with the Portuguese happy to pass the ball around in their own half and Sweden's players more than happy to stand off and let them do so, both nations thus guaranteeing their place in the semi-finals at Italy's expense, whose 3-1 win over England proved worthless.
The Seleção take on Germany at the Andrův stadion, Olomouc, at 6pm local time on Saturday, with the prize for the winners a final against either Sweden or Denmark in Prague on 30 June.
by Tom Kundert
Portugal: Jose Sa, Esgaio, Paulo Oliveira, Tiago Ilori (Tobias Figueiredo 29), Raphael Guerreiro, William Carvalho, Sergio Oliveira, Joao Mário, Bernardo Silva. Ricardo Pereira (Iuri Medeiros 73), Ivan Cavaleiro (Gonçalo Paciência 57)
Sweden: Carlgren, Lindelof, Milosevic, Baffo (Helander 80), Augustinsson, Hrgota (Tibbling 53), Hiljemark, Lewicki, Khalili (Quaison 83), Kiese Thelin, Guidetti
Goals:
[1-0] Gonçalo Paciência, 82'
[1-1] Tibbling, 89'
