BERNARDO SILVA has admitted 'words fail' him after Portugal squandered the chance to automatically qualify for next year's World Cup.
A last-gasp Aleksandar Mitrovic goal saw Serbia come from a goal down to win 2-1 in Lisbon, and in doing so condemn Portugal to the play-offs.
Skipper Cristiano Ronaldo threw a strop after the full time whistle, while Silva issued a heartfelt apology to the Portuguese faithful.
He said: "It was a bad game for Portugal. We managed to score the goal early but from then on we stopped playing.
"I cannot find a great explanation for this, words fail me.
"It was terrible, we have to do much better because we have a play-off in March and we will do our best to qualify. But at home, with 65,000 fans, we had to do much better.
"I apologise to the Portuguese [fans] who watched a game they shouldn't have watched. The plan was to try to have the ball, we were completely dominated by Serbia. With the quality of our players this is hardly admissible."
Silva was hooked for Bruno Fernandes on the hour mark and admitted he wasn't at his best despite a stellar start to the campaign for Manchester City.
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He revealed: "I played a little bit limited, I tried to give my best until the moment came when I thought that another player would be in better conditions."
Portugal had needed just a point at the start of the game to finish top of Group A above Serbia and qualify for Qatar 2022.
And a Renato Sanches goal from a Silva assist just two minutes into the game seemingly put the Euro 2016 winners on their way to the World Cup.
But Serbia had not read the script and equalised just after half an hour through ex-Southampton man Dusan Tadic.
At that point even a point would have been enough for Portugal to win the group and send Serbia into the play-offs.
But a dramatic header from Fulham star Mitrovic turned the game on its head and sent Serbia through as group winners, with Portugal second.
The drama was enough to nearly reduce Ronaldo to TEARS as he collapsed to the floor in disbelief.
It means his side now face the lottery of the play-offs, which take place in March,to book a spot at next year's World Cup.
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