Portugal

www.portugal.com

World Ranking 9

Squad

Team Review

Portugal are my favourites going into Euro 2008 as their squad doesn’t seem to have a weak link. Plus they have the best player on the planet at the moment as their buckineering captain so you can expect to see some magical football and a host of goals from a team that in my eyes could easily go all the way.

Star Man

Cristiano Ronaldo, electric form over the last two seasons averaging a goal a game at club level, not only that but finished

Portugal’s top scorer in qualifying so a lot of weight will be placed on the young mans shoulders to deliver on the highest stage.

Also check out who we think will be the 'players to watch' in the tournament

Tournament History

Quarter Final

	Q.Final	Time	Home		Away	Stadium
	1	19:45	Portugal	2 - 3	Germany	Basel St. Jakob-Park

Match Reports

Portugal 2 - 0 Turkey

(Pepe 61, Meireles 90)

Turkey were taught a lesson in how to play flowing attack minded football in what turned out to be a game which could have easily have ended with Turkey losing to at least a 4 goal deficit with the 2004’s semi finalist striking the woodwork on a number of occasions and having a goal disallowed.

Portugal were firing on all cylinders with the Turks struggling to cope with the fast paced technical football played by the Portugal players. The first goal was scored by Pepe albeit with a touch of luck as his shot clipped the leg of a Turkish defender which made the ball chip nicely over the helpless Turkish goal keep Volkan.

The game carried on As It has started with the Portuguese dominating possession and creating chances with the Turks on the other hand not putting a lot of pressure on the opposing defence and it was only a matter of time before Portugal scored another.
The second goal came at a time when the game was already decided in the dieing seconds of injury to give the tie a suitable score line when considering the way in which the Portuguese dominated the play throughout with Meireles scoring off a rebound following a Portuguese counter-attack that caught the Turks flat-footed.

Turkey were outclassed on the night from an impressive Portuguese side that in my eyes could go all the way this time with such a talented youthful squad. Turkey on the other hand need to rebuild and recuperate after a poor first match and they need a victory to have any chance of qualification over host Switzerland in their next game.

Czech Republic 1 - 3 Portugal

(Sionko 17) (Deco 8, Ronaldo 63, Quaresma 90)

The game started at a blistering pace with it taking just 8 minutes for Cristiano Ronaldo to open up the Czech defence by playing a one two with Gomes and shooting, Cech was able to save the effort but it rebounded to Deco who slotted home at the second attempt. It took just 10 minutes for the Czechs to get themselves back into the game as winger Sionko exposed Portugal’s inability to deal with high balls into the box by scoring with his head from a corner.

For a while after that it looked as though the game had turned into a duel between Ronaldo and Cech as the Portuguese winger was shooting from all angles with Cech being equal to each effort.

Into the second half and Portugal were lucky to escape when Ujfalusi just missed with a header grazing the post ad then as so often happens Portugal went up the other end and made it 2-1 with Ronaldo this time placing the ball past Cech just inside the penalty area. After that the Czechs once again had a chance to go level but again they came up short with Baros going agonisingly close with a headed effort. The game then drifted into added time without too much happening when Portugal received a free kick which deco took quickly a passed to Ronaldo who unselfishly laid it off to Quaresma who rolled the ball into the back of the net, and that was the end of the game for The Czechs with Portugal booking their place in the next round.

Switzerland 2 - 0 Portugal

(Yakin 71, 83(pen))

The game had no real meaning to it following the Swiss exit and Portugal qualifying as group winners which was a huge factor in Portugal’s team selection changing 9 players from the team that had previously beaten the Czech Republic. The Swiss on the other hand went out with a lot to prove to their adoring fans as they have not won a game this tournament and as hosts that isn’t good enough. The game wasn’t excellent but did provide a few highlights notably the performance of Quaresma who is one of the players really pushing for a place in the starting line up against Germany in the Quarter final.

Apart from Quaresma and Nani the Portuguese team never really got going and were to pay for that by going one nil down after 71 minutes after a neat flick from Eren Derdiyok to Yakin who fired a shot underneath Ricardo. The second goal came again from Yakin after he put away a penalty in the 83rd minute to give Kobi Kuhn a win in his final game in charge of the Swiss national team to give him a dignified send off for a coach who in the eyes of the Swiss fans thoroughly deserved it.

Quarter Final

Portugal 2 - 3 Germany

(Nuno Gomes 40, Postiga 87) (Schweinsteiger 22, Klose 26, Ballack 61)

The game began with pace and flair as both teams looked like they both wanted something from the game and the first chance came in the 19th minute when Joao Moutinho had an effort just go over the bar, and as so often in football the Germans went up the other end of the pitch with a sweeping counter attack with Podolski beating his man and swinging in a cross which was finished by Schweinsteiger who had basically run the length of the pitch to be on the end of it. This was never going to be a night for Portuguese flamboyance and it showed as the Germans looked superior keeping it simple and they grabbed another goal when Klose heading in a close range effort to beat Ricardo. Portugal then went up a gear and pulled one back through Nuno Gomes. Game on, or so they though as it didn’t take long for the Germans to regain their composure and put they game beyond doubt with another header which was controversial as when he jumped up for the header he clearly pushed Chelsea team mate Ferieira who strangely didn’t appeal to the ref. at 3-1 the game looked all over and the Germans started to become negative in their play which invited pressure on to them selves and it paid off for the Portuguese when in the 87th minute substitute Postiga headed in to send the last minutes of the game into a frenzy, Portugal sadly couldn’t capitalise and the game finished 3-2 to Germany.