News Sports Soccer Portugal At Full Strength For Euro 2012 Playoff

Portugal At Full Strength For Euro 2012 Playoff

Lisbon, Nov 4: Portugal is back to full strength for its 2012 European Championship playoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina.Real Madrid defenders Pepe and Fabio Coentrao and strikers Danny and Hugo Almeida return from injuries that kept them

portugal at full strength for euro 2012 playoff portugal at full strength for euro 2012 playoff

Lisbon, Nov 4: Portugal is back to full strength for its 2012 European Championship playoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Real Madrid defenders Pepe and Fabio Coentrao and strikers Danny and Hugo Almeida return from injuries that kept them out of the last match against Denmark -- a 2-1 defeat that cost Portugal automatic qualification.

Portugal coach Paulo Bento announced his 23-man squad Friday for the rematch of the countries' 2010 World Cup playoff, which Portugal edged 2-0 on aggregate.

Portugal finished second in Group H behind Denmark, which leapfrogged the Portuguese into top spot after victory in Copenhagen. The Euro 2004 finalist led by Cristiano Ronaldo has never won an international trophy.

Bosnia-Herzegovina finished one point behind Group D winner France.

Bento recalled that Portugal experienced more problems at home than away against Bosnia in the World Cup playoffs.

"They're a quality team, they always have been, but now they have more experienced players such as (Miralem) Pjanic, (Zvjezdan) Misimovic and others. I reckon it'll be a very evenly matched playoff," he said.

The first leg is in Bosnia Nov. 11 with the return game in Lisbon Nov. 15.

Squad:

Goalkeepers:
Eduardo (Benfica), Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon), Beto (Cluj)

Defenders: Silvio (Atletico Madrid), Bruno Alves (Zenit), Rolando (FC Porto), Sereno (Cologne), Joao Pereira (Sporting Lisbon), Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid), Pepe (Real Madrid)

Midfielders: Raul Meireles (Chelsea), Joao Moutinho (FC Porto), Carlos Martins (Granada), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Ruben Amorim (Benfica), Ruben Micael (Saragoca).

Strikers:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Danny (Zenit), Nani (Manchester United), Quaresma (Besiktas), Helder Postiga (Zaragoza), Nuno Gomes (Braga), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas)