Portugal have taken a 2-1 lead into half-time against Mexico in their last match in World Cup Group D on Wednesday at the AufSchalke Arena in Gelsenkirchen.

Mexico came out of the blocks very swiftly, with Salcido forcing a good save by Ricardo following a good break down the left-hand side

Maniche opened the scoring with a super strike. The former Chelsea midfielder fed Simao on the left and then carried on with his run towards the box and followed up to collect the winger's through-pass to fire into the top corner from 18 yards.

Maniche earned a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area in the 21st minute, falling awkwardly, and the resulting free-kick was taken by the captain Luis Figo.

His shot was deflected off the wall, which seemed no further than 6 yards away, and went for a corner.

The resulting corner was remarkably handballed by the Mexican captian Rafael Marquez, to concede a bizarre penalty.

Simao stepped up to take the penalty, with Sanchez doing a ‘Bruce Grobbelaar’, jumping along the line to try and put Simao off, but Simao calmly smashed the ball to the keepers right to make it 2-0.

Ricardo, who had hardly seen any action since the initial Mexico attack in the opening minutes did brilliantly to save from a free-kick from Pavel Pardo, and a shot from Omar Bravo at close range, tipping the ball over the post.

The corner, beautifully delivered from Pardo, saw Jose Fonseca head the ball past Ricardo to pull a goal back for El Tri.

Maniche conceded another dangerous free-kick in the 33rd minute, which gave Mexico another corner, but Ricardo saved.

Mexico were really in the ascendancy, after the shock of going two goals down in the opening quarter of the match.

Jose Fonseca had a chance to equalise in the 38th minute, but his header went wide.

Both sides were pressing for another goal, with some good defending on both sides, with Marquez charging down the excellent Maniche, when the former Chelsea player was coming clear on goal.

Pavel Pardo had a long-range shot excellently saved by Ricardo, who parried away for a corner. The resulting corner saw a free-for-all in the Portuguese penalty-area, which saw Portugal struggle to avoid an equaliser.

The game went into half-time with Portugal deserving their lead, but the El Tri fighting for an equaliser.

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