The powerful team Portugal faces Mexico today June 18, Sunday at Kazan, Russia.
Portugal did nudge back ahead as time was starting to run out, Cedric Soares making it 2-1 with four minutes of normal time remaining.
Pepe thought he'd opened the scoring for Portugal on the rebound after Cristiano Ronaldo had crashed a shot against the bar with a sensational dipping volley - but the goal was chalked off for offside after the referee consulted a video replay, a system being trialed at the tournament.
"It's not the result we wanted, we had the game nearly won", said Ronaldo, who was voted the man of the match.
"The team continue to believe in qualification, we have great possibilities, because there are still two games left". "There is no reason to be concerned, we have to think about the next match".
Nani was already celebrating with his teammates when Argentine referee Nestor Pitana asked for the ball and indicated the goal was being reviewed.
The assistants duly looked it over, and awarded what looked to be a correct offside decision against Portugal, disallowing the goal. "People are very sad in Portugal and the players are thinking of all those who are suffering from what's happened".
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Before the Champions League final two weeks ago, when Madrid won its second consecutive title with two goals by Ronaldo, the star forward said that he was never jeered while playing for Manchester United, and that he missed his time in England even though he loved living in Madrid and playing for Real Madrid.
Portugal is hoping a red-hot Cristiano Ronaldo can continue his sparkling form and help the European champions show that their victory at Euro 2016 wasn't a fluke. With a team well balanced by coach Fernando Santos, Portugal outscored opponents 28-4 during that streak, with five clean sheets.
"Ronaldo is motivated", young Portugal forward Andre Silva said.
They wouldn't keep their lead into half-time though, Javier Hernandez drawing Mexico level just before the interval.
Mexico's squad has three players who have close connections to Portugal.
Quaresma could have doubled his tally just before halftime after a Ronaldo backheel gave him an opening, but the ball got stuck under his feet and could only drag his shot just wide, when the opportunity had promised so much more - and Portugal were made to pay.
The 32-year-old Real Madrid superstar's build-up to the tournament in Russian Federation has been overshadowed after he was accused by prosecutors in Spain of defrauding the authorities of 14.7 million euros ($16.5m) in tax through offshore companies.
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