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Albania vs Portugal Match Preview

A Seleccao are on the brink of missing out from the World Cup in 2010 after a string of poor results left them third in Group A, with only six points out of five games and seven points behind joint leaders Denmark and Hungary.

Carlos Queiroz hasn’t managed to guide Portugal to a successful run of matches so far and unfortunately for the team, victories come in friendly games rather than in competitive encounters. The Portuguese have drawn all of their last three qualifiers since dramatically losing 2-3 to Denmark at home. The alarms of woes are ringing loudly for the Portuguese to perform and to get the right results before it’s too late.

A Seleccao have a tricky trip away to Albania on June 6. They drew goalless in the first leg of this fixture which was played in Portugal. Albania are second from bottom in Group A and the hopes of reaching the finals of the World Cup in South Africa are very slim. However, the Red and Blacks could have a huge impact on the fate of one the world’s best footballing nations, Portugal.

Albania have put in place a new coach in the name of Josif Kuze. The Croatian takes over from the team’s former boss Ari Haan who resigned after the country’s poor form in World Cup qualifiers didn’t seem to better. In his first match in charge of the Albanian national football team, Kuze will attempt to shock his opposition number Carlos Queiroz… And who knows? He might succeed.

Cristiano Ronaldo under pressure to lead Portugal to victory

The days of Luis Figo and Rui Costa are over; now the load is on Portugal’s new generation of players led by skipper Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal possess an excellent player in Cristiano Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year. However, football isn’t only about one player. It is a team game where each and every player in the squad has to fulfill his responsibility.

The 24-year-old showcases some scintillating football under the Portugal national team jersey, but his good passes, flicks, tricks, and pace are still not enough for his side to enjoy a comfortable run in Europe’s qualifying zone.

The reigning European top scorer is yet to inscribe a goal for his country in the qualifiers and surely it is time for him to take on the striking role and fire Portugal to a series of much-needed victories. The World Player of the Year wasn’t present in Portugal’s first qualifying matches due to injury. He then returned to the squad despite working on match-fitness and his recovery form came much to the misery of the national team. Portugal drew twice against Sweden and Albania respectively before drawing goalless again against Sweden in the return fixture back in March.

Cristiano Ronaldo has come under criticism by many Portuguese supporters which includes FC Porto’s Pinto da Costa. Speaking to the media earlier in the month of May over Porto’s Champions League defeat to Manchester United, the Portuguese ironically stated:

"He says he likes to score goals against FC Porto a lot and I would really like to see him score for the national squad,"

"Unfortunately we suffered a goal from 35 meters when just two weeks before he had missed from 35 centimetres, in front of the same goal."

Bad luck has conquered the Portuguese camp; the players on the pitch just cannot deliver in front of goal. The team have been playing good football recently, but are still unable to do the most important thing – and that is to score goals.

Certainly, Cristiano Ronaldo must rise above the rest as the World’s best player and prove his point by scoring winners for Portugal.

...And it must start now.

A Seleccao kick off the second part of the World Cup qualifying campaign knowing that anymore slip up will only worsen their already-horrible situation. Coming back strongly in the second half of the qualifiers to finish top of the group is almost the last option for the Portuguese if they want to be assured of a place in the finals of the World Cup.

Eying a second place finish may turn out to be real mistake as this will see them in the playoffs against the likes of tricky teams like Russia or Turkey perhaps. Time is running out for Portugal. Can they build up from now on starting with the clash against Albania on June 6?

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