Luiz Filipe Scolari’s Portugal have been drawn against Mexico in Group D of the World Cup finals. Portugal feel they have been given a seemingly favourable World Cup draw in order to progress to the last Sixteen of the tournament. They were drawn in Group D with the seeded team Mexico, Asia zone qualifiers Iran, and World Cup finals newcomers, Angola, in Group D in the World Cup finals.

Brazilian ‘Big Phil’ Scolari’s Portugal team will start their campaign against Angola on the 11th of June, before facing Iran six days later. They finish the group stage with a match against the highly rated Mexico team on the 21st of June.

Scolari was quick to dismiss any thoughts that Portugal would qualify easily from their group, reminding the assembled journalists about what happened at the previous World Cup in Korea/Japan 2002.

“You don’t have to think back very far to see what happens if you think progress will be easy. In 2002 everyone said Portugal’s group would be plain sailing, (they were grouped with the USA, Poland and South Korea) and look what happened.” Said Scolari after the draw.

In the World Cup 2002, Portugal, one of the favourites prior to the tournament, were knocked out in the opening group stages after losing 3-2 to the USA, and also losing to the joint hosts, South Korea 1-0, who both progressed from the group.

Scolari continued, “My first task will be to convince the players, you journalists, and the Portuguese people that it won’t be as easy as people think.”

Nevertheless Scolari admitted that the group... “Gives us good prospects to move ahead in the tournament,” adding “It’s not a ‘group of death’ but if we think we’ve won it already we’re going to have problems.”

Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves’ team will be relishing their opening match against Portugal, which will be the African nation’s World Cup finals debut match.

The Angolan’s saw off strong African opposition to qualify for the finals in Germany, having beaten Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Algeria to see Angola’s ‘Palancas Negras’ grab the top spot in Group 4 of the Africa zone.

The strong historical links between the two countries, the common language, and the large community of Angolan emigrants living throughout Portugal, are sure to make this a hotly contested match between the two nations.

Iran’s Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic is definite in his belief that Group D rivals, and Euro 2004 hosts, and runners-up Portugal can make it as far as the World Cup semi-finals.

"Our group contains very good teams," said the Croatian. “The favourite is clearly Portugal, they will be in the semi-finals.”

"Mexico are a good side, I was very impressed by them at the Confederations Cup. Angola are a new team to me. They have a lot of enthusiasm, and a game which is difficult to understand.” Said the Iran coach.

"I am proud of my team, we have worked hard recently. Our problem will be in adapting to the different styles - European, African and Latin-American. I hope our players will learn how to respond to the different problems." concluded Ivankovic.

With Mexico, coach Ricardo Lavolpe has instilled an intense, attacking style of play, which earned Mexico’s ‘El Tricolor’ the position of being chosen as a seeded team for the draw, having come second to the USA in the CONCACAF qualifying zone, but with the best scoring record of any team throughout all the qualifying zones, with a haul of 64 goals in the qualifying stages.

This is is no small way due to Mexico’s all-time top scorer, Jared Borgetti. The Mexico and Bolton Wanderers striker, who wears the number nine shirt, was the top scorer throughout all the World Cup qualifying zones.

His tally of 14 goals exceeded that of Brazil's Ronaldo, who scored 10, and three goals ahead of Portugal's Pauleta and Togo's Emmanuel Adebayor, both of whom finished with 11 goals each.

Borgetti’s closest rival was Trinidad and Tobago striker Stern John, who ironically reached a tally of 12 goals thanks to his brace against Mexico.

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