Hector Moreno: Late equaliser
Hector Moreno: Late equaliser

Portugal 2-2 Mexico: Late goal denies European champions in Confederations Cup opener


Hector Moreno's stoppage-time equaliser earned Mexico a 2-2 draw with Portugal at the Confederations Cup on Sunday.

Match report


Hector Moreno snatched a stoppage-time equaliser as Mexico denied Portugal victory in their opening Confederations Cup match.

Substitute Cedric Soares looked like being the European champions' hero with his 86th-minute deflected shot, but Moreno's header from a corner spoiled the Southampton defender's celebration of his first international goal to snatch a 2-2 draw for Mexico.

The late drama took much of the focus away from Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo who, apart from the assist for Ricardo Quaresma's opener, failed to inspire his side.

There was huge focus on Ronaldo after news broke on Friday of his desire to leave Real Madrid and quit Spain for good because of his unhappiness at a tax investigation against him, but he frequently cut an isolated figure up front due to Portugal coach Fernando Santos' cautious tactics.

The match kicked off in Kazan after a moment of silence in memory of the victims who have died in forest fires in Pedrogao Grande, Portugal.

It took a while for both sides to settle but the first real action of interest was possibly the most contentious.

Portugal defender Pepe thought he had opened the scoring in the 21st minute when he turned in a cross-shot after Ronaldo had smashed a shot against the crossbar, having blasted his initial free-kick into the defensive wall.

However, Argentinian referee Nestor Pitana called for a review from the video assistant referee and it was eventually ruled Pepe was one of four players who were offside from Joao Moutinho's first cross into the box following the failed set-piece.

Confederations Cup: Fixtures, results and standings

Within 15 minutes Portugal had taken the lead, however, with Ronaldo, who has now scored or provided an assist in each of his last seven games for the national team, almost inevitably at the heart of it.

The former Manchester United forward capitalised on Carlos Salcedo misjudging a header just inside his own half to race into the penalty area and, given too much time to turn, the Portugal captain was able to easily pick out the unmarked Quaresma, who deceived Guillermo Ochoa with his first touch and slotted home with his second.

Ronaldo's backheel then saw Quaresma fire narrowly wide but another defensive error allowed Mexico to draw level three minutes before the break.

Raphael Guerreiro missed a cross at the far post which gave Carlos Vela the chance to hook the ball back across for Hernandez to power home a diving header.

Mexico's all-time leading scorer still had time before the end of the half to blaze over from a good position.

The second half had little action until the final 10 minutes when, after goalkeeper Ochoa brilliantly saved Andre Silva's header, Soares' lung-bursting run into the penalty area saw him score with a huge deflection off Hector Herrera.

But Portugal's celebrations were premature as Moreno popped up with the equaliser.

Match reaction


Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo: "It was not the result we wanted, the team had almost won and we suffered in the last minutes, but this is football.

"The team continue to believe in qualification, we have great possibilities, because there are still two games left.

"We are calm and we have to think about the next game. We have to win, because if we win the next game we will be one step away from qualifying.

"We do not have to sound the alarm."

Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio: "We played the European champions on equal terms, we generated chances but couldn't finish them.

"We also managed to keep Cristiano Ronaldo in check. I think it was a very good result for Mexico."

Portugal boss Fernando Santos on the result: "We played a team that has very good, technical players. At the beginning we couldn't enjoy good control of the ball but then we managed to balance things out and could have won it in the end.

"In the end the result was fair as Mexico also played well."

And on the video referral system (Portugal had a goal ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee): "It's the new rule. If you bring benefits to football, fine.

"But I do not think anyone can see this new rule (working) very well yet."

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