Gelson Martins saved Portugal from the potential
embarrassment of being pushed into extra time by New Zealand with an
87th minute goal to give his side a 2-1 victory on Thursday that moved
them into the quarter-finals of the under-20 World Cup.
Martins
wrong footed the New Zealand defence on the slippery surface at Waikato
Stadium and stroked the ball with the outside of his right foot past a
despairing Nikola Tzanev to end the hosts' hopes of causing the upset of
the tournament.
New Zealand had never made it to the
knockout phases of the tournament before but gave Helio Sousa's side a
massive fright after substitute Stuart Holthusen equalised in the 65th
minute.
Raphael Guzzo had given Portugal the lead in the first half as his side looked in control of the game before Holthusen's goal.
The
goal spurred the crowd of almost 10,500 into raucous chants of "All
Whites, All Whites" and gave the New Zealanders the wistful hopes of
grabbing an unlikely victory.
"When we scored that goal
the place went wild," New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said in a pitch
side interview. "When that happens you want another one."
Portugal
will now meet Brazil in the quarter-finals in Hamilton on Sunday after
the South Americans beat Uruguay 5-4 on penalties following a 0-0
stalemate after extra time.
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