Key events
Half-time: Portugal 2-0 Vietnam
It has been a dominant 45 minutes from Portugal and their main ambition now will be score as many as possible to boost their goal difference going into a crucial match with USA in their final group game.
45 mins: Two minutes added on.
42 mins: Moreira is called into action for the first time, palming away a shot from distance. Vietnam’s first real threat.
40 mins: It should be pointed out that Vietnam’s best players plies her trade in the Portuguese top division, so there is a gulf in class here.
38 mins: A backpass reaches Morais but the goalkeeper takes a dreadful first touch and has to slide to beat Thi Thanh Nha Nguyen to the loose ball. Portugal need to avoid being complacent here.
36 mins: It is a poor free-kick from Nazareth and Vietnam easily clear the danger, eventually winning a goal-kick for their efforts.
34 mins: Portugal have enjoyed 67% possession thus far and have had nine shots.
Thi Thu Thuong Luong flies into Nazareth and gives away a free-kick on the left touchline in line with the edge of the box.
32 mins: Jacinto receives a pass in the box and jabs the ball towards the corner but it goes just wide. Vietnam are not in this game in any way, shape or form.
30 mins: More tearing through the Vietnam defence from Portugal. Encarnacao sends a through ball between the defenders for Nazareth to chase, she gets there before the keeper and tries to backheel a pass into the path of Alves but it ricochets off Thi Kim Thanh Tran’s feet and the danger is gone.
28 mins: Jacinto lifts a ball over the defence to Encarnacao, who expertly volleys it first time with her side foot. The goalkeeper does well to save and the rebound is repelled too.
Jessica Silva has been for a boot change.
25 mins: A cross is not dealt with by Vietnam and Jessica Silva is surprised the ball reaches her feet, resulting in a misscontrol with the goal gaping. Immediately afterwards, Silva indicates to the bench she may need to come off. At this stage, there is no need to take any risks.
23 mins: There is no getting away from this: the Vietnam defence is poorly organised. They seem to have one player on man-marking duties, while there is a sweeper and this leaves gaps that Portugal are happy to exploit.
GOAL! Portugal 2-0 Vietnam (Nazareth, 21)
Like a knife through butter. Encarnacao slips the ball through for Nazareth to run onto, she takes a touch and slides the ball beyond the goalkeeper into the corner.
19 mins: Thi Diem My Le is crudely taken down by Alves on the touchline in but the Portugal defence gets away without a booking.
17 mins: Portugal are pretty happy to clear their lines and aim for Jessica Silva because they know she has the pace to trouble Vietnam in any situation.
15 mins: Jessica Silva has the beating of the Vietnam defence for pace and is frequently going past them. They will need to double up on her soon if they want to contain her.
13 mins: A cross is headed up in the air by a Vietnam defender and falls out of the night sky onto Nazareth’s left boot but she volleys straight back from where it came and over the bar.
Moments later, Portugal cut through the defence thanks to a Nazareth pass between two centre-backs, allowing Alves to latch onto it but the cannot get the ball beyond the goalkeeper.
11 mins: Vietnam need to settle down because if they do not, Portugal will add to their opening goal pretty soon.
9 mins: Considering Vietnam have five at the back, they really need to be better organised. Portugal are just walking through them.
GOAL! Portugal 1-0 Vietnam (Encarnacao, 7)
Portugal have looked bright from the start – and the Vietnam defence has been confused – so this was inevitable. Alves sends the pinpoint cross into the box and Encarnacao turns the ball home.
6 mins: Great work by Jessica Silva on the right sees her turn away from the full-back, before laying the ball into the path of Nazareth, who earns some space but fires a shot with the outside of her boot over the bar. It’s an entertaining start.
4 mins: It is a smart set-piece which makes it along the six-yard line but Portugal manage to scramble it clear.
Down the other end, a neat move from Portugal culminates with Jessica Silva through on goal but she slices her shot well wide from inside the box.
2 mins: Vietnam earn a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left after Borges trips Hoang. Thi Bich Thuy Nguyen tries to shoot but the wall is in the way. She gets away with a corner.
Kick-off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
Here come the teams! Portugal in their traditional red, while Vietnam are in all white.
I saw Portugal a couple of time during last year’s Euros. Kika Nazareth came off the bench to make a cameo in one of the matches. It will be fun to see her from the start today. She is Portugal’s most exciting player and could make the difference in what will be a tight game.
Get to know …
Portugal
And Vietnam
Earlier today in this group …
Starting lineups
Portugal (4-3-3): Morais; Alves, Marchao, C Costa, Seica; Jacinto, T Pinto, Nazareth; Borges, Silva, Encarnacao
Subs: Pereira, R Costa, Amado; Rebelo, Rute, Norton, F Pinto, Dolores Silva, Diana Silva, Mendes, Capeta
Vietnam (4-5-1): Thi Kim Thanh Tran; Thi Thu Thuong Luong, Thi Thu Tran, Thi Loan Hoang, Thi Diem My Le, Thi Thu Thao Tran; Thi Thao Thai, Thi Van Duong, Thi Thanh Nha Nguyen, Thi Bich Thuy Nguyen; Nhu Huynh
Subs: Thi Kieu Oanh Dao, Thi Hang Không, Thi Kiểu Chương, Thi Thủy Nga Trần, Thí Tuyệt Dung Nguyễn, Thi Thủy Trầng Trần, Thi Hai Linh Trần, Hai Yên Phẩm, Thi Thủy Hang Nguyễn, Thi Hoa Vu, Thi Van Su Ngan, Thi Mỹ Anh Nguyễn
Preamble
We have two sides that started with defeats and are hoping to get some points on the board to give some vague of reaching the knockout stages. Portugal would seem the better bet, despite being in their first World Cup. They were narrowly beaten by Netherland in their opening match and have showed plenty of promise in recent months. There is the minor issue that they face USA in the final group but let’s focus on the here and now.
Fellow tournament debutants Vietnam are in a similar bind that they might get a positive result here but being able to follow that up against Netherlands is an optimistic concept. They are ranked 32nd in the world – only 11 places below Portugal – so are no mugs and making their mark in Hamilton. Vietnam striker Huynh Nhu is based in Portugal at Braga-based side Länk.
Here’s a cracker!
