Coach Paulo Bento laments Portugal's slim chances at the World Cup

Paulo Bento

Portuguese head coach Paulo Bento has cast doubts over side's chances of making it to the pre-quarters, reports Goal. After a 4-0 drubbing on the opening day against the Germans, Portugal went into the game with their sights firmly set on a victory to keep their World Cup ambitions alive. However, USA made sure it wont be so easy after all.

A last gasp header from Varela helped Portugal salvage a 2-2 draw and take away a vital point which keeps them in contention for the next round. With only 30 seconds for the final whistle to be blown, the Seleccao's Brazil campaign seemed all but over, until Ronaldo's stunning cross was headed home by Varela.

However, manager Paulo Bento has sweated over his side's chances and remains diffident ahead of their last group encounter against Ghana.

"It is a result that is bad. Thats obvious," he told RTP.

"It does not put us out of the World Cup but it leaves us on a very precarious situation. We started well, with getting the goal, but then had great difficulty in holding off the right flank of USA. We tried to change this situation in the first half and the remainder in the second but we could not.

“The 2-2 result was a representative of what we did with our last effort, an effort that was great considering the difficult conditions in Manaus."

He further added, "Now we have to play the last game and exhaust all of possibilities we have, though there are few at this time".