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The starting line-ups
Paulo Bento`s side wobbled midway through the match, but overall deserved to progress to Euro 2012.
Bento made no changes Irom the Iirst leg, persisting with a 4-3-3 Iormation with Helder Postiga upIront.
SaIet Susic kept his midIield and attack in tact, but made suspension-related changes at the back. Sasa Papac
was available again so started at leIt-back to replace Sejad Salihovic.
This was a completely diIIerent match Irom the Iirst leg much more open and also much quicker.
Portugal passing
With the beneIit oI a decent pitch, the passing quality Irom Portugal`s midIield trio was clear. Miguel Veloso
sat in Iront oI the back Iour and generally got time to spray passes to the Iull-backs, whilst Joao Moutinho
circulated the ball well and Raul Meireles moved Iorward slightly.
The home side`s midIield was much more compact than Bosnia`s, which Ieatured Zvjezdan Misimovic high up
the pitch and consequently diIIicult Ior the other two midIielders to locate, whilst Haris Medunjanin dropped
very deep, as usual, to get the ball Irom the centre-backs. As a result, Portugal kept the ball better.
idfield battle
The midIield battle was interesting, because Merieles was much keener to close down Medunjanin than in the
Iirst leg, happy to leave Veloso and Moutinho Iurther back protecting the deIence. This meant Medunjanin
didn`t get time to distribute the ball intelligently, he oIten misplaced passes, and thereIore Bosnia`s play was
slow and predictable when trying to build play Iro the back.
The one problem with Portugal`s midIield being so tight in the Iirst halI was that there was, as usual, no real
link between the midIield and the Iorward trio through the centre oI the pitch, and thereIore little creativity.
Portugal still managed two goals in the Iirst halI, but these came Irom thumping long-range strikes Irom
Ronaldo and Nani, rather than Iollowing any deIence-splitting passes. The midIield won the possession battle,
but didn`t win the actual game.
Nani
Incidentally, Nani`s positioning was more central than in Bosnia, which helps Portugal`s play. He can shoot
with either Ioot which makes him very diIIicult to deIend against, whereas in the Iirst leg he was stationed wide
on the touchline, never in a position to shoot and always likely to go down the line.
Elsewhere, the Iormation match-ups were very similar to the Iirst halI, although the one newcomer Papac in
at leIt-back was perhaps the key individual. Bosnia created little in the Iirst halI, but the two chances they did
Iashion came Irom decent crosses Irom Papac. The Iirst was headed onto the underside oI the bar by Edin
Dzeko, the second resulted in the penalty aIter Fabio Coentrao handled Senad Lulic`s header. On both
occasions, Nani stood oII Papac rather than getting tight, and turned his back and swung a hopeIul right leg at
the ball, rather than blocking the cross with his body.
Sweeping Bosnia changes

Susic's amazing halI-ti me changes saw eight outIield players change positions. This shows the starting line-ups, and the arrows towards
their position Ior the second halI - only Pjanic and Dzeko stayed in the same role
The start oI the second halI saw the most complete overhaul oI a side ever seen in a match covered by ZM
eight oI the ten outIield players changed positions, eIIectively in a chain including the entire side with the
exception oI Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic. Medunjanin became the closest player to Dzeko, whilst Lulic was
presumably supposed to give more thrust Irom leIt-back.
The changes didn`t work particularly well an understandably uncomIortable backline was opened up easily
Ior Ronaldo`s goal, Portugal`s third, and in the aItermath Lulic was sent oII, meaning Susic had to change his
side even Iurther. Darko Maletic came on Ior Elvir Rahmic and went to leIt-back, with Medunjanin moving
deeper again in a 4-4-1 system.
Having dominated possession at 11 v 11, Portugal were even more on top aIter the red card. Bosnia brieIly got
back into the game at 3-2 with a goal Irom a set piece, but Portugal were able to play around them. The away
side needed a goal, and had to come out and press Portugal, but this leIt gaps at the back. Ruben Micael came
on Ior Meireles and Iound space well, setting up Postiga with a rare through ball. At 4-2 the contest was over,
and Veloso and Postiga added two more to make it a rout.
onclusion
The red card (Ior dissent rather than sporting transgressions) rather ruined the second halI it would have been
interesting to see iI Susic`s overhaul had worked, but they ended up getting thrashed.
Portugal were impressive, particularly with their ball retention in midIield, but there are still big question marks
about whether they can turn dominance into goals. They still lack a top-class striker and will probably play
without a designated playmaker, and the quality in wide areas can probably only compensate Ior one oI these
problems. A plan B, perhaps involving Danny, should be tried beIore next summer.
Still, Portugal`s pressing here was impressive and they deIended well at the back during both legs, and they
should provide tactical interest at Euro 2012.