Portugal joined Group D rivals Mexico in winning their opening World Cup match with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Angola.
Pauleta's early strike in Cologne proved enough for Portugal to see off their former African colony, but Angola will have taken plenty of credit for having restricted their more illustrious opponents to a single goal.
Portugal boss Luiz Felipe Scolari opted to start Simao Sabrosa ahead of Maniche, while Deco and Costinha were on the substitutes' bench.
Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves played a more defensive starting XI, with captain Fabrice Akwa playing as a lone striker for the African nation.
In front of an expectant Rhein Energie Stadion crowd, it was Portugal that nearly took the lead inside the first 30 seconds.
Nuno Valente released Pauleta on the left and the Paris Saint Germain striker's shot agonisingly rolled across the face of Angola's goal.
It was an early warning from the Euro 2004 hosts, who soon made their African cousins pay with an opening goal inside four minutes.
Portugal captain Luis Figo won possession in the middle of the Angolan half and made a fine bursting run into the opposition's box.
The Internazionale man easily eluded Angola defender Joao Pereira Jamba before supplying Pauleta a low cross from the left that the striker finished with aplomb.
At this stage, it looked like Portugal would go on and cruise past their former colonial brothers, but to their credit, Angola replied in positive fashion.
Black Antelopes skipper Akwa was unfortunate not to connect with an overhead kick from Ze Kalanga's cross before Antonio Mendonca forced Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo into a save with a long-distance strike.
Pauleta was causing Angola's back-line problems in the first half, having forced Black Antelopes goalkeeper Joao Ricardo to rush out of his goal and close down the angle with a volleyed strike that flew wide, while Simao and Cristiano Ronaldo were off target with efforts of their own.
Angola then replied with three decent chances of their own, with Andre Mateus striking over the crossbar before Akwa spectacularly connected with another overhead kick from Loco's cross that went wide of goal, and Paulo Figueiredo shot wide moments later.
Portugal remained a threat going forward, however, but Pauleta and Ronaldo failed to deal with a dangerous Simao byline cross from the left before Ronaldo headed Figo's corner from the right against the Angola crossbar.
Ricardo looked in form in the Portugal goal, having made a fine diving save from Andre Macanga's fierce strike.
His opposite number in Joao Ricardo made an equally fine save from Ronaldo after Miguel had picked him out in the box with a low cross, as Portugal took a one-goal lead into the break.
The second half proved a more edgy contest for Portugal, who struggled to create the type of clear-cut chances they had made before half time.
Before being substituted just short of the hour mark, Ronaldo caused Joao Ricardo a problem with a fierce free kick from the left before play was blown down for a foul.
The Angola number one then needed to save from Pauleta and Tiago to keep the African underdogs in the contest, but the second period proved less eventful than the first.
The one-goal margin left Portugal looking a bit nervy and Angola eventually surged forward, but Loco volleyed high and wide when in a somewhat dangerous position.
Simao then headed Figo's cross over the bar before Mateus forced Ricardo to save in the dying stages, as Angola went searching for a dramatic late equaliser.
In the end, it was Portugal substitute Maniche that forced Joao Ricardo to make the final telling save of the contest, as Portugal took the three points, but Angola took plenty of the plaudits.
Pauleta's early strike in Cologne proved enough for Portugal to see off their former African colony, but Angola will have taken plenty of credit for having restricted their more illustrious opponents to a single goal.
Portugal boss Luiz Felipe Scolari opted to start Simao Sabrosa ahead of Maniche, while Deco and Costinha were on the substitutes' bench.
Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves played a more defensive starting XI, with captain Fabrice Akwa playing as a lone striker for the African nation.
In front of an expectant Rhein Energie Stadion crowd, it was Portugal that nearly took the lead inside the first 30 seconds.
Nuno Valente released Pauleta on the left and the Paris Saint Germain striker's shot agonisingly rolled across the face of Angola's goal.
It was an early warning from the Euro 2004 hosts, who soon made their African cousins pay with an opening goal inside four minutes.
Portugal captain Luis Figo won possession in the middle of the Angolan half and made a fine bursting run into the opposition's box.
The Internazionale man easily eluded Angola defender Joao Pereira Jamba before supplying Pauleta a low cross from the left that the striker finished with aplomb.
At this stage, it looked like Portugal would go on and cruise past their former colonial brothers, but to their credit, Angola replied in positive fashion.
Black Antelopes skipper Akwa was unfortunate not to connect with an overhead kick from Ze Kalanga's cross before Antonio Mendonca forced Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo into a save with a long-distance strike.
Pauleta was causing Angola's back-line problems in the first half, having forced Black Antelopes goalkeeper Joao Ricardo to rush out of his goal and close down the angle with a volleyed strike that flew wide, while Simao and Cristiano Ronaldo were off target with efforts of their own.
Angola then replied with three decent chances of their own, with Andre Mateus striking over the crossbar before Akwa spectacularly connected with another overhead kick from Loco's cross that went wide of goal, and Paulo Figueiredo shot wide moments later.
Portugal remained a threat going forward, however, but Pauleta and Ronaldo failed to deal with a dangerous Simao byline cross from the left before Ronaldo headed Figo's corner from the right against the Angola crossbar.
Ricardo looked in form in the Portugal goal, having made a fine diving save from Andre Macanga's fierce strike.
His opposite number in Joao Ricardo made an equally fine save from Ronaldo after Miguel had picked him out in the box with a low cross, as Portugal took a one-goal lead into the break.
The second half proved a more edgy contest for Portugal, who struggled to create the type of clear-cut chances they had made before half time.
Before being substituted just short of the hour mark, Ronaldo caused Joao Ricardo a problem with a fierce free kick from the left before play was blown down for a foul.
The Angola number one then needed to save from Pauleta and Tiago to keep the African underdogs in the contest, but the second period proved less eventful than the first.
The one-goal margin left Portugal looking a bit nervy and Angola eventually surged forward, but Loco volleyed high and wide when in a somewhat dangerous position.
Simao then headed Figo's cross over the bar before Mateus forced Ricardo to save in the dying stages, as Angola went searching for a dramatic late equaliser.
In the end, it was Portugal substitute Maniche that forced Joao Ricardo to make the final telling save of the contest, as Portugal took the three points, but Angola took plenty of the plaudits.
