This was not what Cristiano Ronaldo would have had in mind when he dreamt of a World Cup in Brazil.
The World Player of The Year had declared himself fit and ready pre-match after shrugging off a knee injury and he was desperate to impress.
But he could only watch on as Portugal were ruthlessly taken apart by Germany. On a miserable afternoon, they finished with ten men after Pepe’s stupid red card and lost two other players to injury.
For the Germans, it was a case of no strikers, no problems, and certainly not when Thomas Muller is around.
With no natural number nine in coach Joachim Low’s starting XI, Muller operated as the furthest man forward and he grabbed a hat-trick.
It underlined the Bayern Munich man’s liking for World Cup football as that made it eight goals in seven games after scoring five in South Africa four years ago.
Ronaldo had shown no fitness issues early on when he launched a swift counter attack, which ended with Hugo Almeida shooting straight at Manuel Neuer.
He was then slipped in by Miguel Veloso, but from a tight near-post angle, his effort was saved by Neuer.
Portuguese ‘keeper Rui Patricio nearly gifted a goal at the other end when his clearance went straight to Sami Khedira, but the midfielder couldn’t steer it into the empty net from 30 yards.
That reprieve lasted barely three minutes though as Joao Pereira conceded a spot-kick after he hauled back Mario Gotze inside the area.
And Germans do not miss penalties as Muller confidently dispatched it into the bottom corner.
They had their opponents exactly where they wanted them and it took a desperate last-ditch challenge from Pereira to stop Gotze making it two.
But from Toni Kroos’ resulting corner, a towering header from Mats Hummels did double the advantage.
Fabio Coentrao should have reduced the deficit almost immediately when he found himself in a great position but he looked for Ronaldo and his pass was diverted just past the post by Hummels.
As if the Portuguese were not in enough trouble though, an act of gross indiscipline by Pepe made it mission impossible.
The centre half was angry at Muller going down softly clutching his face after the initial challenge.
But that could not excuse him bending down and butting the German, with the Serbian referee quick to produce a red card.
To further rub salt into the wounds, Muller made it three on the stroke of half time when he drilled home.
It meant Germany could coast through the second period, much needed considering the heat in Salvador.
Ozil and Gotze missed clear opportunities to score, until Muller showed them how to do it when he tapped in after substitute Andre Schurrle’s shot was parried out to him.
Ronaldo was even denied a consolation goal in stoppage time, as Neuer kept out his blockbuster free-kick.
The Germans now face Ghana in fine spirits, but Portugal will have to restore some order and regroup before taking on the USA on Sunday night.
HT: 3-0
Goals: Muller (12 pen, 45, 78), Hummels (32)
Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels (Mustafi 73), Howedes; Lahm, Kroos; Ozil (Schurrle 63), Khedira, Gotze; Muller (Podolski 82).
Portugal (4-2-3-1): Patricio; Joao Pereira, Alves, Pepe, Coentrao (A. Almeida 65); Meireles, Moutinho, Veloso (Costa 46); Nani, Ronaldo; H. Almeida (Eder 28).
Referee: M. Mazic (Serbia)
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