Portugal 1 Ireland 1

While Mick McCarthy's Republic of Ireland team really came of age against Holland they copperfastened their arrival with a fighting performance against Portugal to earn a draw which had all the hallmarks of the grittiness that Ireland used to show under Jack Charlton.

Ireland knew that they were in for a tough test against what is possibly the best footballing side in the world, but to a man they defended for their lives and got their just reward with a draw.

Cynics are saying it was a bad Irish performance but they must not have been watching the same match as kickin' was, because Ireland did something that seemed impossible before the game and that was to stop the Portuguese from getting behind them.

They forced Figo & Co. to shoot from long distance for the entire 90 minutes and even then the Portuguese did not get a free ride as the Irish put life and limb in front of the ball in an effort to hold parity.

Oozing confidence, the Irish had weathered the predicted Portuguese whirlwind within ten minutes of the start and, urged on by a very vocal 12,000-strong Green Army, they had the impertinence to take the game to the hosts, quickly forcing consecutive corners.

It didn't even faze the Irish when they quickly discovered that the Bulgarian referee was overawed by the Stadium of Light and was prepared to give in to the slightest appeal by Portugal - though first Robbie Keane and later Roy Keane were booked for dissent after two particularly outrageous decisions had gone against them.

Niall Quinn was first to fall foul of Mr. Ouzounov and his compliant officials. The Sunderland veteran cleverly beat the offside trap and ghosted in at the back for a free header - but once a Portuguese arm went up it was certain that the linesman's flag would follow.

But not even Ouzounov could ignore Couto's cynical short-arm tackle on Kevin Kilbane and the big centre back - otherwise imperious - went into the notebook.

When Portugal had the ball - and they had it for most of the game - they met a solid phalanx of green, with Kilbane and McAteer chasing and harrying and Roy Keane and the brilliant Mark Kinsella standing firm in front of a calm and collected back four.

Rui Costa, Figo and Sa Pinto all tried long-range pots, but without putting Alan Kelly to any more trouble than having to take the ensuing goal kicks.

In fact Kelly didn't have to clock in until late in the half when Figo, for the only time in the game, gave Stephen Carr the slip and shot powerfully from an acute angle. The Blackburn 'keeper parried and Richie Dunne - always a step ahead of the two Pintos - was in like a flash to kill the rebound.

It was clear that the effort would sap Irish energy sooner or later and Mick McCarthy reacted sooner, benching Niall Quinn at half time in favour of an extra midfielder in the shape of Ipswich skipper Mattie Holland. It proved an inspired choice.

Yet it seemed all that effort might be in vain when Portugal struck in the 57th minute. There was no apparent danger when Conceicao - probably Portugal's least effective player on the night - collected wide right. Ian Harte showed him inside but, fatally, lost a yard on the winger. For once, no Irish midfielder showed up; Dunne held station a little too deep; and Conceicao's shot squeezed in at Alan Kelly's right-hand post.

That looked like trouble because Ireland had threatened only once in the second half - Kevin Kilbane slicing through on goal only to find Robbie Keane ahead of him and offside.

But to the eternal credit of Mick's men, they immediately set about seeing that things didn't get any worse. A lesser team would have buckled, but Ireland didn't lose shape and never dropped their heads.

It was still going to take a bit of luck or a bit of rare magic for Ireland to get back on terms - but Mattie Holland was equal to the task. Damien Duff - on for the exhausted Jason McAteer - held the ball on the right and played a one-two with Roy Keane before feeding the Ipswich skipper 40 yards out.

A sudden burst of acceleration bought Holland a couple of yards and - still well outside the box - he let fly before anyone had the chance to close. The ball swerved viciously away from Quim, who was left flapping.

What's the Japanese for "Ole, ole, ole"?

Portugal: Quim, Costa, Couto, Beto, Dimas, Figo, Rui Costa, Conceicao, Vidigal, Joao Pinto, Sa Pinto.
Subs: Pauleta for Joao Pinto 79, Simao for Sa Pinto 79, Capucho for Dimas 88.
Subs Not Used: Espinha, Secretario, Bino, Meira.
Booked: Couto. Dimas
Goals: Conceicao 57.

Rep of Ireland: Alan Kelly (Blackburn Rovers), Stephen Carr (Tottenham), Gary Breen (Coventry City), Richard Dunne (Everton), Ian Harte (Leeds United), Jason McAteer (Blackburn Rovers), Mark Kinsella (Charlton), Roy Keane (Manchester United) capt, Kevin Kilbane (Sunderland), Robbie Keane (Inter Milan), Niall Quinn (Sunderland).
Subs: Matt Holland (Ipswich) for Niall Quinn 46; Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers) for Jason McAteer 69; Steve Finnan (Fulham) for Robbie Keane 84.
Subs Not Used: Dean Kiely (Charlton), Steve Staunton (Liverpool), Dominic Foley (Watford), Curtis Fleming (Middlesbrough).

Booked: Robbie Keane, Roy Keane, McAteer.

Goals: Holland 72.

Ref: Atanas Ouzounov (Bulgaria).

Att: 46,000