Bosnia-Herzegovina | 0 - 0 | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| Date | : | Fri, Nov 11, 2011 | Time | : | 20:00 CET |
| Play on | : | European Championship Qualifying |
Possession was dominated by the visitors but Helder Postiga missed the best of what chances they created, while Cristiano Ronaldo again struggled to recreate his club form in a Portugal shirt. The hosts think about the Bilino Polje their blessed stadium, but it was anything but blessed for the watching spectators who were subjected to an abject spectacle on a woefully inadequate pitch. Nevertheless, Paulo Bento's side will be happier with the goalless draw and they are going to be firm favourites to progress when the sides meet again in Lisbon on Tuesday. In a scrappy start as the players got to grips with the challenging playing surface, Portugal were first to show after nine minutes when Raul Meireles fired in a shot from the fringe of the box, bringing a clever save out of Asmir Begovic at his near post. Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure as Portugal dominated the half without generating much, and the Actual Madrid man was reduced to snap-shots which did not trouble Begovic. After 18 minutes the ball would not come down for Postiga, who sent the ball way over the bar from the fringe of the area - and moments later they missed with an over-ambitious overhead kick. Ronaldo threw a lump of the uneven turf to the ground in irritation after sending an work wide six minutes in to the second period. In the 58th minute, a Joao Moutinho free-kick broke in the box to Postiga, but they spurned an excellent opportunity when they sliced his shot wide. Edin Dzeko had a rare chance for Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 72nd minute, but his shot was always going wide. Ronaldo weaved his way through the home defence after 64 minutes but his scuffed shot was basically saved by Begovic. Begovic scrambled to save from Meireles, before Ibisevic missed another excellent opportunity at the other finish, blazing his shot wildly over the bar when through on aim, though they had the pitch as well as a bobbling ball to cite in mitigation. Substitute Vedad Ibisevic had a brilliant chance moments later when Adnan Zahirovic's cross reached him at the back post, but his control was dreadful and they then got in a tangle as they tried to shoot. In the last act of a game desperately lacking in quality, Dzeko saw a close-range shot well saved by Rui Patricio, but the whistle had already gone for offside. As the game ticked over in to stoppage time a corner from Miguel Veloso hit Emir Spahic and deflected goalwards, but straight at Begovic.
Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Portugal Last 5 match
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | Portugal |
| Oct 11, 2011, France 1 - 1 Bosnia | Oct 11, 2011, Denmark 2 - 1 Portugal |
| Oct 7, 2011, Bosnia 5 - 0 Luxembourg | Oct 7, 2011, Portugal 5 - 3 Iceland |
| Sep 6, 2011, Bosnia 1 - 0 Belarus | Sep 2, 2011, Cyprus 0 - 4 Portugal |
| Sep 2, 2011, Belarus 0 - 2 Bosnia | Aug 10, 2011, Portugal 5 - 0 Luxembourg |
| Aug 10, 2011, Bosnia 0 - 0 Greece | Jun 4, 2011, Portugal 1 - 0 Norway |
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