Portugal follow Brazil into the last 16 of the World Cup after the sides played out a poor 0-0 draw at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday.
Brazil top the group after Friday's mainly flair-free encounter, with the Portuguese finishing a point ahead of the Ivory Coast (3-0 winners over North Korea on Friday) and taking second spot in Group G.
The first half was laced with a sprinkling of nastiness as seven players were booked and some nasty challenges were going in all round.
Portugal’s Brazil-born defensive midfielder Pepe seemed to be the chief target for the Brazilian ire as he fell victim to some crude challenges from first Luis Fabiano and then Pepe, both deservedly booked for their aggression.
As far as the football was concerned, the lack of a real need for a result for either side meant that chances were not coming in their droves, a pity really given the great attacking potential both sides have, even if Portugal were without Deco and Brazil were starting without Robinho or the suspended Kaka.
Not that it was a chanceless half. Daniel Alves, making his first start in South Africa for Brazil, shot wide from 25 yards early on before Portugal’s Tiago, who hit a brace against North Korea earlier in the week, volleyed well off target from Raul Meireles’ set-up.
A daft handball from Brazil’s Juan and even dafter instance of subsequent crying to the referee from Portugal’s Sergio Duda saw both players added to the lengthening list of bookings, before the game finally got a real chance.
Villarreal hit-man Nilmer was the man who had the effort for Brazil. He stole in at the back post to meet a cross from the right, only for Eduardo to tip the effort onto the post.
From the break that followed immediately afterward, Tiago went down in the Brazil area but to his fury he was only booked for diving by the card-happy Mexican referee Benito Archundia Tellez.
A couple of wild efforts from the usual ridiculous angles and distances from Cristiano Ronaldo apart, a Fabiano header into the ground and over was all the remainder of the half brought chance-wise.
Early in the second half, a terrific piece of defending from Lucio stopped Ronaldo, who had stolen in on the left of the Brazil area, from squaring for Tiago who would surely have broken the deadlock. Minutes later, the Real Madrid man hit another free from range but it deflected over off of Pepe for a goal-kick. Portugal, however, had definitely started the second period the better.
That said, they did not have much to better as the fare just worsened in a game that never lived up to its potential.
When chances came they were mainly for the Portuguese. Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar did show his class after a surge from Ronaldo led to a Lucio tackle deflecting the ball into the path of Meireles. The Inter Milan goalkeeper raced from his line and denied the midfield man what looked a sure goal.
Danny fired a later effort over as Ronaldo’s path to goal was blocked again, while Brazil sub Ramires nearly belied his side’s miserable second half showing with a 25-yard effort that nearly deflected in, but Eduardo made the save.
The final whistle sounded with the game bringing no goals and Portugal yet to concede in the competition, though only having scored against North Korea. Both sides will have to show more though, if they are to go all the way.