Auf gehts, Männer! Ein Team. Ein Ziel. #aneurerseite #GERPOR pic.twitter.com/gUWO0yPjZU
— DFB-Team (@DFB_Team) June 16, 2014
Bruno Alves partnered Pepe in central defence, while Joao Pereira and Fabio Coentrao were the full-backs in a flat back-four.
In central midfield, Miguel Veloso, Joao Moutinho and Raul Meireles formed a protective band of three ahead of their defence. That trio was also responsible for releasing long balls to the three forwards during counter attacks.
Key tactical changes
Portugal started the game badly; they made reckless challenges for the ball and they were slow to challenge for second balls when Germany continuously attacked, so they were punished with two early goals.
Pepe then blew their chances altogether with his headbutt. After that, Bento temporarily plugged Meireles at the heart of defence alongside Bruno Alves, and Nani dropped to central midfield in a 4-3-2 formation.
Bento introduced Ricardo Costa at centre-back after half-time and his hands were soon tied as Coentrao pulled his hamstring, forcing a final substitution. Andre Almeida came on at for Coentrao and Bento could only instruct the tired players he already had on the pitch.
They finished the game bravely with Pereira and Almeida going forward from their full-back positions, while Nani frequently broke from central midfield to attack down the left flank.
Germany freed their full-backs because Ronaldo finished the game operating centrally where his pace is not as effective and Nani was too deep to cause any threats from wide areas during counter attacks.
Lahm still sat in front of Germany’s defence to intercept any supply to Portugal’s strikers, but the rest of Germany’s midfielders and forwards were eager to get more goals.
In the heat of Salvador, maybe Bento will console himself with the fact that his 10-men only conceded the fourth goal in the second half.
