Portugal need Postiga to fire

The press conferences on the eve of Portugal's vital Group B match with Denmark at the Arena Lviv presented two strikers who could not be any more different in character or style.

First, Helder Postiga was put up in front of the media to mount a defence of his country's meagre returns in front of goal against Germany on Saturday.

The Portugal centre-forward is deep into a curate's egg of a career where he has often hinted at being a player, without ever providing the goals to convince.

Perhaps he could do with some the swagger - be it self-confidence or be it arrogance - that his opposite number in the Danish line-up, Niklas Bendtner, has.

Postiga patiently dealt with a number of questions that were variations on the theme: Portugal have no quality centre-forwards, what should they do about it? He did his best to answer, unlike Bendtner, whose own responses rarely extended much past the first word.

Portugal could do with Postiga, or someone at least finding some shooting boots against the Danes. Lose, and they will be on the plane home. 

"We have played two games against Denmark since I took over, winning at home and losing away," said Paulo Bento, the manager. "We haven't yet done justice to our quality, but having beaten them once we can do so again. We just need to score."

Helder take note.