No panic in Portugal

Trapattoni happy with Italy's stand-in players

GENOA, Italy (Reuters) -- Italy's 1-0 win over Portugal in a friendly international injected fresh confidence into a squad that had won just once in its last eight games.

When coach Giovanni Trapattoni lost the services of his entire first choice forward line ahead of Wednesday's match he could have been tempted to think that events had conspired against him.

Under pressure after some dismal performances in a run that saw just a single win -- against Azerbaijan -- and included defeats to Slovenia and Wales, Trapattoni badly needed a boost ahead of March's Euro 2004 qualifier against Finland.

That is a game Italy must win if they are to have a real chance of overtaking Wales at the top of European Championship qualifying group nine.

Not only did Wednesday's display against Portugal provide a morale boost, the performances of those players asked to stand in for the injured trio of Francesco Totti, Christian Vieri and Alessandro Del Piero have broadened the range of choices for the Italy coach.

Trapattoni was full of praise for the three players he had given debuts to -- goalscorer Bernardo Corradi, Fabrizio Miccoli and Mauro Camoranesi.

"I asked them to play as they do for their clubs -- with freedom in their heads. We all know that a debut for your country is an emotional occasion but Miccoli, Corradi and Camoranesi did everything they should have," said Trapattoni.

Biggest impact

Lazio striker Corradi, who deputized for the burly Vieri in the target-man role, could not have done more -- scoring and leading the line well throughout.

The impish Perugia forward Miccoli made the biggest impact of all -- his pace, aggressive running, control and dribbling providing the change of rhythm and chance of the unexpected that Trapattoni's side has so often lacked.

The controversy over the decision to give a debut to Argentine-born winger Camoranesi is likely to die down after the Juventus player showed exactly why Trapattoni felt it necessary to pick a player who has been living in Italy for less than three years.

Camoranesi gave Italy vital width and also the attacking penetration that more defense-minded players on the right flank have been unable to offer.

Much had been expected of Miccoli after some sparkling displays in Serie A including his spectacular winning goal against AC Milan on Sunday, but the Italy coach was impressed by the way the shaven-headed striker coped with the occasion.

"There was a lot of pressure on Miccoli but he played in a manner that allowed him to overcome that," said the Italy coach.

"He showed what he is capable of, his full repertoire -- great pace, confident control, dribbling. He is one you can count on," added Trapattoni.

Difficult choices

The pairing of the tall, angular Corradi and the livewire Miccoli, dubbed the Odd Couple' by one newspaper, clicked straight away and may leave Trapattoni with some difficult choices when his big names return to fitness.

But the Italy coach said he was not worried about such potential selection headaches.

"Coaches always have problems and believe me it is better to have problems of abundance."

It is unlikely though that the Corradi-Miccoli partnership will survive the return of the big names but the Italy coach now knows that he has a workable back-up.

As well as the new boys, right-back Christian Panucci and central midfielder Cristiano Zanetti both made returns to form for Italy in areas where there are few quality options.

But what is likely to stay in place against Finland is the more offensive tactical approach of a system with two wide players and a second striker playing behind the main forward.

It is a formation that has worked well for European champions Real Madrid and at times this season AC Milan and Trapattoni hinted that he may stick with it.

"It gives you some guarantees -- we can work on it," said the Italy coach.

"But we should not go overboard after this result. In a month we have to face Finland, which will be a very tough game even if we now have a little more faith in ourselves."

Scolari stumbles at first hurdle for Portugal

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- Luiz Filipe Scolari has started experimenting with his new Portugal side, but his first test was a dud.

The Brazilian coach said trying out players and tactics was the most important aspect of his first game in charge of Portugal, but the scrappy 1-0 defeat Wednesday against Italy revealed little of Portugal's potential.

"Scolari's team disappoints," daily sports paper Record said on its front page Thursday.

Portugal rarely got out of first gear in the friendly game in Genoa, Scolari's debut after joining Portugal at the start of the year.

The players, including Real Madrid's Luis Figo and AC Milan's Rui Costa, were uncomfortable and looked disoriented in the first half when Scolari tried out a 3-4-3 formation.

They appeared happier and sharper when they switched in the second half to a more usual 4-4-2, but eight substitutions unsettled the team and it was hard to tell through the clutter who was doing well.

Scolari tried out three rookies and only three of the 22-man squad stayed on the bench.

However, the result brought no sense of panic.

Scolari had had little more than 20 days to observe Portuguese players in league action and had just two training sessions before the Italy game.

Also, he lost his first game as coach in Brazil's World Cup qualifying campaign and went on to win the trophy last year, so perhaps the omens were good.

The Brazilian, who had won his last 15 games, stressed that he has embarked on a long-term project -- to win the 2004 European championship.

"I can't change everything in two days. I need more time to communicate with the players," Scolari said in his defense.

"I need more time to work with the team and start to put some firm names and a tactical scheme down. Bit by bit, we'll put a team together over the upcoming games."

He said the players were not to blame for Wednesday's defeat and that he will only crank up the pressure on them after four or five matches.

Portugal's next encounter is with Brazil in six weeks' time.

As Euro 2004 host, Portugal automatically qualifies.

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.