Saturday, June 10 2006 15:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Marienfeld (Germany): Portugal has a habit of choking in its opening games at major tournaments.

So when people say tournament rookie Angola will be easy prey when Portugal plays its first Group D game tomorrow, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is having none of it.

"It's going to be a momentous game," Scolari said yesterday.

"We'll show them the respect they deserve," he said.

Portugal lost its first game at the 2002 World Cup 3-2 to the United States before exiting in the first phase. Two years later, it started the European Championship at home with a shock 2-1 defeat to Greece.

The Angolans are eager to show their presence at the World Cup is not a fluke. Angola edged Nigeria in African qualifying to reach Germany, and many of its best players are at European clubs.

"I know the Angolan players. We've done our homework. We have to match Angola's enthusiasm, step-for-step, tackle-for-tackle," Scolari said.

Portugal and its former African colony have met twice before, both times in exhibition matches. In 1989, Portugal thrashed Angola 6-0 and, two years later, won 5-1.

"The first game in any competition is the most important game," Scolari said.

"If we lose against Angola, the situation will be desperate," he said.

World Cup spectators are unlikely to witness a repeat of that last encounter which deteriorated into a bad-tempered game with four Angolans getting sent off.



Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves accepted that Portugal is favourite for the game in Cologne.

"It's evident that Portugal is the favourite in our group, but that does not mean Angola is going onto the pitch to lose," Goncalves said.

"Playing Portugal will be difficult because they have more players in big European teams. But we're going to do our best to make it difficult for them," he said.

Scolari can assemble formidable firepower against the shaky Angolan defense.

Winger Luis Figo, who has 120 caps, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazilian-born playmaker Deco, and all-time leading Portugal scorer Pauleta are all expected to be fit.

"We have to be patient and hold onto possession, because they'll want to sit back and defend and then launch counter-attacks," Scolari said.

There is a question mark over the Portuguese defence, where Stuttgart's Fernando Meira has taken over in the center from usual first-choice Jorge Andrade who is missing the World Cup through injury.

Portugal has brought its most experienced team ever to Germany, with close to 800 caps in total, and recovered after its disastrous start at Euro 2004 to reach the final. "We've got plenty of experience now of big games and major tournaments. Once we're on the field our anxiety drops away," winger Simao Sabrosa said.