Bento laments bad result

Paulo Bento conceded Portugal’s hopes of reaching the next round at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil are all but over after Sunday’s 2-2 draw.

Paulo Bento conceded Portugal’s hopes of reaching the next round at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil are all but over after Sunday’s 2-2 draw.

The United States looked set to win 2-1 in the Group G clash and progress to the round of 16 only for Portugal substitute Silvestre Varela to equalise in the fifth minute of injury-time at the Arena Amazonia in Manaus.

While the draw kept Portugal mathematically in contention, their failure to win has left them with an uphill battle heading into the final group game against Ghana in Brasilia.

Germany (+4 goal difference) and the USA (+1) are in the box seat on four points, while Ghana (-1) have one point alongside Portugal (-4), whose inferior goal difference means they need a big win over the African nation on Thursday, along with a favourable result elsewhere.

Pre-game coach Bento said “either we win or we start packing our suitcases” and Sunday’s result has the 45-year-old downbeat on his country’s chances.

“It’s clearly not a good result for us,” Bento told reporters.

“The 2-2 doesn’t put us out of the World Cup mathematically but it does leave us in a very difficult situation.

“Not just because of what we’ll need to do against Ghana but also because we’ll need a favourable result from the Germany-United States game.”

Bento added: “We were unlucky late in the first half but it was a great effort to level the match (in second-half injury time).

“Now all we can do is to give everything in our very last game and try and make the most of the very little chance that we have left.”