Scolari goes on with his Portugal, while van Basten and Holland imssed yet another chance to World Cup glory.

Luiz Felipe SCOLARI(POR)
I feel total happiness. What I saw today from this group of players hasn’t been seen in Portugal for many years. I have never seen anybody fight so much and do so much for Portugal. We have to congratulate these players, in spite of the odd moment of excess on the part of both teams. It was an intense, controversial and difficult game.

It was a very similar game to the matches you see in the Copa Libertadores, especially games against Argentinian teams. Today was very similar. Now I have to put a team together to face England, but with a few problems. But that’s part of my job. I’ve got 23 players, two cannot play, but Cristiano (Ronaldo) has got five or six days and he will probably recover.

My contract finishes on 31 July, and I don’t want to think about anything until then. I hope to give the Portuguese what they have given to me: hard work and affection in the way that they have welcomed my family and me. We want our exploits to go beyond what the country did in 1966.

Marco VAN BASTEN (NED)
It’s a shame that there wasn’t much football played in the second half.

At half-time we told the players to be careful, because if there’s one red card, then more usually follow. The advantage we had slipped away, and when it was ten against ten, we tried to attack, but for 45 minutes we didn’t play our normal game. There was a foul every minute. It’s a shame.

I began my work two years ago with a lot of young players, with a new philosophy and everything went well in qualification. The team was growing up, in spite of playing difficult opponents like Argentina and Côte d’Ivoire. Portugal are an experienced side, and I think that was the main difference. They used all the tricks in the book and they knew how to waste time.

In any case, we tried to get up to their box and we created some chances. In the end we went for high balls and we didn’t have luck on our side. I have to congratulate my players because they battled right up until the final minute.

Source: WCoffsite