MEXICO v PORTUGAL - MATCH PREVIEW I
Andy Morgan

Group D Permutatons: Portugal are automatically through and will finish top if they avoid defeat to Mexico. Mexico need just a point to guarantee their safe passage through to the next round and will win the group if they beat Portugal.

If Mexico lose and Angola win, and a three goal goal-difference is made up, then the African side will qualify ahead of the Mexicans in second place.

The big game in this group is Portugal versus Mexico in Gelsenkirchen. This will decide who will finish top of the group but with either Argentina or Holland waiting in round two, who finishes where in Group D is largely immaterial. After their 6-0 demolition of Serbia and Montenegro Argentina are probably the team both sides would like to avoid but when the alternative is an on-fire Dutch outfit it really is a case of the lesser of two evils. Because of this and the fact that the game is being played before the Argentina versus Holland Group C decider, it is hard to know what the tactics of the Portuguese and Mexicans would be.

Portugal are likely to adopt a similar policy to England by resting players who have been booked earlier in the tournament. It is expected therefore that Deco, Costinha and Pauleta, who all got booked in their win over Iran on the opening day of the group, will be rested. Nuno Gomes, a veteran of previous major tournaments yet only twenty-nine years of age is expected to replace the impressive Paris-Saint Germain frontman.

With twenty-three goals the Benfica frontman is a dangerous player to have and his placing on the bench demonstrates the strength in depth that the Portuguese possess. The team will certainly not be weakened by the absence of Pauleta with this swap despite Pauleta's impressive form in the opening two Portuguese games.

Deco is likely to be replaced by Benfica's Armando Petit and at twenty-nine is another good like-for-like swap for the Barcelona midfielder. Rumours are abound that Manchester United are interested in the player, a rumour refuted by Carlos Quieroz, United assistant manager.

He has played in the Champions League for his club and has plenty of big match experience but it will be hard to replace Deco who was lively in the 2-0 win against Iran. With thirty-seven caps to his name however Petit should be able to do a job. He played seventry-two largely uneventful minutes against Angola before being substituted by the more lively Maniche.

Expect another Benfica man, Simao Sabrosa to replace Costinha in midfield. He started against Angola and was lively, allowing Pauleta to feed off his through balls. With seven goals from over forty appearances Sabrosa also knows his way to the net and it would be of no surprise if he scores against the Mexicans this evening.

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