Coelho coy on Bento future

The Portuguese Football Federation’s vice president Humberto Cuelho remains coy over the future of head coach Paulo Bento.

Portugal’s hopes of qualifying for the second round of the FIFA World Cup hang by a thread after Sunday’s thrilling 2-2 draw with United States.

Saved from certain elimination by Silvestre Varela’s header in the dying moments in Manaus, Portugal’s fate remains out of their hands.

Bento’s men need a win against Ghana on Thursday, and must pray for there to be a winner in the game between Germany and United States, combined with a large enough swing in goal difference.

With an early exit a genuine threat, Coelho would not be drawn on the future of coach Bento, who signed a contract extension in April which takes his deal up to 2016.

“I don’t know what Paulo Bento thinks,” Coelho said in a press conference on Tuesday.

“Two months ago, we signed a two-year contract.

“We have a commitment. We have one more match and we are focusing on that goal.

“We all know that results are important and we are sad, as are the Portuguese people, but we won’t give up yet.”