The Bordeaux player fired past Jerzy Dudek in the 13th minute in monsoon conditions.

Poland had flown into the tackles from the start, hoping to ruffle the Portuguese.

The tactic enabled them to win some good early possession, and it was after a hefty midfield challenge that Radoslaw Kaluzny strode forward and drove a shot from 30 yards that was not too far off the mark.

Pauleta, one of the few Portuguese players to have had a half decent game in the 3-2 defeat by the USA, had two shots in quick succession a couple of yards outside the area.

The first curled a yard wide of a post and the second looped straight to Dudek.

In the 13th minute, Pauleta did finally beat Dudek.

Frechaut had just come onto the field after receiving treatment for an injury when the ball fortuitously arrived at his feet.

Joao Pinto picked up possession infield and curled a cross to Pauleta who controlled the ball on his knee, rounded Tomasz Hajto and belted it past Dudek at the Liverpool keeper’s near post.

Pauleta was a yard too high with another effort from long range, but the Poles began to step up the pressure as the conditions deteriorated, though their final ball was too often wasted.

Luis Figo had looked reluctant to take on opponents before, after 35 minutes, he tricked his way into the Poland area and cut the ball back for Petit, but the defender did not make proper contact and Dudek was not troubled by the shot.

Figo then had a free-kick in an excellent position which he skimmed in low but once again Dudek held on.

Emmanuel Olisadebe looked Poland’s best hope of a reply, but his drive from the edge of the box was fielded by Vitor Baia.

As the half drew to a close, Joao Pinto was the victim of a nasty assault by Polish centre-back Hajto, who first tripped him and when deliberately trod on the writhing striker, but the incident was not spotted by Scottish referee Hugh Dallas.