MATCH 25 PREVIEW : HOSTS' BIGGEST TEST YET

Bright stars
The match comes four years after Portugal's dramatic 3-2 win against England at UEFA EURO 2000™, and just two years after Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari ended the English 2002 FIFA World Cup bid during his time in charge of Brazil. The meeting of Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, the tournament's brightest young stars so far, adds further spice to the mix.

England improvement
Scolari this week insisted that this England side are superior to the team beaten 2-1 by Brazil in Shizuoka. "I think the England team have evolved, they're much better than at the World Cup," he said. "Sven-Göran Eriksson has done a great job. England are no longer a team that depend on high balls into the penalty area, although they still use that sometimes. Now they keep the ball on the ground and move it around."

Portugal changes
Scolari's decision to reshape the Portugal lineup after their opening defeat by Greece, particularly the demotion of Rui Costa and Fernando Couto, has been vindicated. Equally, his substitution of Pauleta for Nuno Gomes in the Spain victory also paid off. The SL Benfica man will start up front in place of the suspended Pauleta in an otherwise unchanged team.

Portugal (probable): Ricardo; Miguel, Jorge Andrade, Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente; Luís Figo, Costinha, Deco, Maniche, Ronaldo; Nuno Gomes.

England (probable): James; G Neville, Terry, Campbell, A Cole; Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes; Owen, Rooney.

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