Spain beats Portugal and we are (almost) out of the World Cup.
Article by: Rui Neto Fernandes
The best part: Portugal played its best rugby in the final 20 minutes, after a few changes to the starting XV and managed to control the game. If the third try would have come earlier, the final score would have been different.
The not-so-good part: Although it’s still mathematically possible, it’s extremely unlikely that Portugal will qualify for the Wold Cup as we just don’t see a way that the Netherlands can beat Romania.
Player of the match: Rodrigo Marta. Another good game from the Portuguese winger that tried the whole match to breach the Spanish defence and shake up Portugal’s game.
It was the most important match for Portuguese rugby in the past 15 years. Portugal travelled to Madrid to play a de facto final against the home nation of Spain but, against the will of all Portuguese fans, the Lobos didn’t reach the desired goal of being in France in 2023.
Portugal started the match putting pressure on the Spanish defence and it was a fruitful effort when Samuel Marques (one of the most active players on the Portuguese side) scored a penalty at the 6th minute. Portugal was only ahead for a minute since the Spanish flanker Frederic Quercy took advantage of a distraction by the Portuguese defence to break the gainline and offload to Jon Zabala, with the prop running about 20 metres to score the first try of the match.
Portugal reacted almost immediately. Through several phases, and playing off 10, Jeronimo Portela managed to get the ball to Rodrigo Marta with the winger, very close to the sideline offloading to Simão Bento score.
At the 17th minute, and following (yet another) penalty given during a scrum, this time inside the Portuguese 22, Spain scored again through Frederic Quercy, moving the scoreboard to 17-19. Eight minutes later, Spain scored again through a sequece of “pick and go” with the hooker Marco Pinto crossing the try line. The inability of Portugal to stop the Spanish forwards was a constant throughout the game and ended up costing the victory.
Portugal reacted at the 32nd minute with the scrum-half Samuel Marques spotting the excellent line that Pedro Bettencourt was creating and with an excellent pass, isolated the centre with him scoring between the posts. However, once again through their unstoppable forwards, this time through a maul, Spain scored again through Marco Pinto.
At the half-time mark, the scorenboard showed 27-20 and the World Cup dream was still within reach.
The second half started with a penalty contest between Manuel Ordas and Samuel Marques, with the former scoring three times (44th, 50th and 58 minutes) and the latter twice (46th and 54th minutes), moving the scoreboard to 33-23. The Portuguese national coach made a few changes at the 60th minute mark and took advantage of Spain’s tiredness to control the game.
However, and despite quite a few (close) chances of scoring, the Portuguese third try only happened at the 79th minute. Without even attempting a conversion so they could have a final chance to score, Portugal tried one last time but another mistake meant that Spain was going to win the match.
With a final score of 33-28, Spain guaranteed their second presence ever in a World Cup. Portugal is still third on the group which would allow for a repechage playoff but the more-than-likely Romanian victory against the Netherlands, will put the Lobos on the 4th place of the group and with that, away from France.
