Some speedy counter-attacks on the right by Miguel, who had all but eliminated the biggest Dutch threat in Arjen Robben, allowed the defence to take some valuable breathers.

What neither the explosive Ivory Coast nor talented Argentina had managed to do in the group stage, Portugal did with only half the possession of the Dutch.

No wonder they had not lost a single match in 12 qualifying games, conceding a mere five goals and scoring 35.

The win came against a team that had also not lost in their qualifying campaign, letting in a mere three goals.

The last team to beat Netherlands in a competitive match were Portugal in the Euro 2004 semi-finals.

The referee, who FIFA president Sepp Blatter said could have been yellow carded himself after dishing out four reds and booking eight other players, had reduced the game to a farce by the end but still the Dutch could not take their chances.

They played most of the second half with a one-man advantage but Dutch coach Marco van Basten, who many hoped would guide his young team to a surprise World Cup triumph, was left dejected as they looked an equaliser but lacked a clinical finisher.

By the end the former striker, a strong supporter of the late Dutch coach Rinus Michel's concept of "Total football", may have wished he had a couple of battling Portuguese on his team.