Showing posts with label Group A. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Group A. Show all posts

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Switzerland Vs. Portugal Match Report

BASEL, June 15 (Reuters) - Switzerland notched their first win at a European Championship finals when it least mattered by beating a second-string side from Euro 2008 quarter-finalists Portugal 2-0 on Sunday.

Hakan Yakin scored both goals, firing home in the 71st minute when he was set up by fellow striker Eren Derdiyok and then converting an 83rd minute penalty.


The commitment showed by Portugal's reserves, looking to win a place in Luiz Felipe Scolari's first team, and the eliminated Swiss belied the fact that the result would not alter the Group A standings.

The Swiss had the first real scare in the 18th minute when a free kick by Nani from outside the box was touched on by central defender Pepe and goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuehler could only turn the ball upwards on to the angle of bar and post.

Ricardo, one of only three first-choice Portugal players to start the match, tipped a shot from Gokhan Inler over his bar and close to halftime dived to his left to push out a header by Yakin.

Helder Postiga should have scored when Nani robbed Inler on the left and crossed from deep but the striker's shot was blocked by Philippe Senderos on the line.

Postiga also had the ball in the net but was unlucky to be ruled offside.

Nani hit the near post in the 53rd minute from the left when he ran on to Rau Meireles's fine pass from deep.

Yakin broke the deadlock when Derdiyok's telling pass eluded Pepe and left him with only keeper Ricardo to beat from point blank range.

He put the game beyond doubt from the spot after Meira brought down Swiss substitute Tranquillo Barnetta.


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Euro 2008 Group A Standing


GPWDLGSGAGDP
1 Portugal 3 2 0 1 5 3 2 6
2 Turkey 3 2 0 1 5 5 0 6
3 Switzerland 3 1 0 2 3 3 0 3
4 Czech Republic 3 1 0 2 4 6 -2 3



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Turkey Vs. Czech Republic Match Report

GENEVA, June 15 (Reuters) - Two goals in the last three minutes gave Turkey a remarkable 3-2 win over Czech Republic in a winner-take-all Euro 2008 thriller on Sunday, earning a quarter-final meeting with Croatia.

The Czechs went 2-0 up with a first-half goal from their all-time leading scorer Jan Koller and a 62nd-minute effort from midfielder Jaroslav Plasil.


Arda Turan pulled one back 15 minutes from time and equalised in dramatic style with three minutes to go when keeper Petr Cech inexplicably dropped the ball for Nihat Kahveci to slide the ball into an empty net.

The Turks grabbed the winner two minutes later when Nihat broke clear to fire his side in front with a right-foot shot from the edge of the area.

The drama did not end there as Turkey keeper Volkan Demirel was sent off in stoppage time.

Turkey finished with six points, three ahead of the Czechs, who were eliminated along with co-hosts Switzerland. Portugal were top.

The breakthrough came after 34 minutes when Koller headed powerfully into the top corner with Volkan palming the ball on to the underside of the bar and in.

The goal was fully deserved after the Czechs dominated most of a tense, error-strewn opening 45 minutes.

The second came after Turkey had come out of their shell and attacked for most of the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

Although captain Nihat went close with a flick that flew over Cech's bar, Turkey found themselves 2-0 down when Plasil slid in to steer the ball past Volkan after a fine cross from the right by Libor Sionko.


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Switzerland Vs. Portugal Highlights Video Clips

Switzerland 2 - 0 Portugal
half-time (0 - 0)

referee :
Konrad Plautz (Austria)
match details :
71' H. Yakin [1 - 0]
83' H. Yakin (pen.) [2 - 0]

CLICK below to watch Switzerland Vs. Portugal Highlights Video Clips...
WATCH H. YAKIN FIRST GOAL...
WATCH H. YAKIN SECOND GOAL...





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Turkey Vs. Czech Republic Highlights Video Clips

Turkey 3 - 2 Czech Republic
half-time (0 - 1)

referee :
Peter Fr�jdfeldt (Sweden)
match details :
34' [0 - 1] J. Koller
62' [0 - 2] J. Plasil
75' [1 - 2] A. Turan
87' N. Kahveci [2 - 2]
89' N. Kahveci [3 - 2]

CLICK below to watch Turkey Vs. Czech Republic Highlights Video Clips...
WATCH J. KOLLER GOAL...
WATCH J. PLASIL GOAL...
WATCH A. TURAN GOAL...
WATCH N. KAHVECI FIRST GOAL...
WATCH N. KAHVECI SECOND GOAL...











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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Switzerland Vs. Turkey Match Report

Turkey's Arda Turan stunned Switzerland with an injury-time goal at a rain-soaked St Jakob-Park Stadium on Wednesday to knock the Euro 2008 co-hosts out of the tournament.

Hakan Yakin opened the scoring for Switzerland in the 32nd minute but substitute Semih Senturk's equaliser shortly before the hour mark left both teams searching for their first win in Group A and in the bottom two places of the group.

Just as the game looked to be headed for a draw, Arda struck from the edge of the area.

His right-footed effort deflected off a Swiss defender and into the goal to silence the home crowd.

The Swiss had had a chance to move in front late in the game but Turkey goalkeeper Volkan Demirel made a stunning save to deny Yakin's close-range effort.

Turkey take on the Czech Republic in the last group game on Sunday while the Swiss face unbeaten Portugal.

Both teams struggled with the very wet conditions but it did not spoil the atmosphere for the fans packed into the stadium.

Injuries forced Turkey coach Fatih Terim to make three changes to his starting line-up and it was Mehmet Aurelio who was handed the challenging role of replacing injured Emre at the heart of midfield.

Stand-in captain Nihat Kahveci was the engine for the Turks.

Switzerland coach Jakob Kuhn brought in attacking duo Eren Derdiyok and Hakan Yakin, hoping the absence of all-time leading scorer Alexander Frei through injury would not hinder his side.

It proved a wise move by the veteran tactician as both players made life difficult for Demirel.

Nihat was first to test Diego Benaglio early on but his angled effort was saved by the goalkeeper.

With the hosts making unforced errors, Turkey surged forward more aggressively.

Switzerland had their first shot on goal in the 19th minute, with Gokhan Inler's 30-yard strike forcing Demirel into action.

Turkey may have dominated the early part of the match but that soon changed.

Midway through the first half, Yakin warmed the hands of Demirel with a stinging left-footed drive which the goalkeeper palmed away for a corner.

Demirel's next contribution was more spectacular with the goalkeeper making a one handed save from Tranquilo Barnetta's curled free-kick.

The Turks were unlucky not to break the deadlock in the half-hour mark, with Nihat's free-kick cleared by Benaglio but only as far

Arda Turan, whose header struck the far post.

It proved costly as Switzerland broke the deadlock two minutes later.

A long ball from Philippe Senderos was controlled by Eren Derdiyok who served an unmarked Yakin at the far post for an easy tap-in.

The Swiss fans celebrated wildly as Yakin ran towards them and the Turkish fans were momentarily silenced.

The goal inspired the hosts who should have extended their lead shortly after.

However, Yakin fired wide from the far post Valon Behrami's beautiful cross in what was the last chance of the opening half.

Terim made two substitutions after the re-start, with Mehmet Topal replacing Tumer Metin in midfield and Senturk replacing Gokdeniz Karadeniz.

What a move it proved to be as Senturk scored 10 minutes later.

Senturk latched onto Nihat's cross from the left and his powerful header beat Benaglio.

On the hour mark, Tuncay fired wide from the edge of the area as the Turks kept going forward.

Servet Cetin made a crucial tackle as Hamit Altintop threatened to break clear inside the area.

Turkey should have taken the lead in the 73rd minute as Tuncay curled in an inviting cross which Nihat was unable to connect with at the far post but they continued to battle and their efforts paid off.


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Euro 2008 Group A Standing


Overall

GPWDLGSGAGDP
1 Portugal 2 2 0 0 5 1 4 6
2 Czech Republic 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 3
3 Turkey 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 3
4 Switzerland 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 0


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Switzerland Vs. Turkey Highlights Video Clips

Switzerland 1 - 2 Turkey
half-time (1 - 0)

referee :
Lubos Michel (Slovakia)
match details :
32' H. Yakin [1 - 0]
57' [1 - 1] S. Sentürk
90' [1 - 2] A. Turan

CLICK below to watch Switzerland Vs. Turkey Highlights Video Clips..
WATCH H.YAKIN GOAL...
WATCH SENTURK GOAL...
WATCH A. TURAN GOAL...







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Portugal Vs. Czech Republic Match Report

Cristiano Ronaldo's sweet second-half strike helped Portugal secure a Euro 2008 quarter-final berth on Wednesday as Luiz Felipe Scolari's team beat Czech Republic at the Stade de Geneve.

The Manchester United star coolly slotted home after being teed up by Deco shortly after the hour to put the Portuguese in the lead for a second time, Libor Sionko having cancelled out Deco's opener.

Substitute Ricardo Quaresma put matters absolutely beyond doubt in stoppage time when he tapped home from Ronaldo's pass.

The victory takes Portugal onto six points in Group A following their opening-day win over Turkey, while the Czechs - who beat co-hosts Switzerland 1-0 in the curtain-raiser - will look to clinch a last-eight spot on Sunday when they face Fatih Terim's Turks.

Czech coach Karel Bruckner made two changes to his starting line-up with Marek Matejovsky replacing David Jarolim in midfield and Milan Baros coming in for Jan Koller up front, while

Scolari stuck with the same XI that overcame Turkey.

The Czechs started brightly, but the opening goal came at the other end.

Ronaldo played a one-two with Nuno Gomes which Petr Cech came to deal with, and Deco scrambled home at the second attempt.

Baros' first sight of goal came on the quarter-hour mark when he headed Zdenek Grygera's cross over Ricardo's bar.

The Czechs were level two minutes later, however, thanks to a diving header from Sionko - one of the smallest men on the pitch - following Jaroslav Plasil's corner.

Deco soon found space to try to restore Portugal's lead, but his shot was too high to trouble Cech, and the Chelsea goalkeeper got down well seconds later to keep out a low drive from Ronaldo.

The game continued to flow from end to end at pace, with Sionko's pull-back from a corner causing panic in the Portuguese defence before the danger was cleared.

Cech again had to be alert four minutes before half-time to palm away a left-footed blast and a fierce right-footed free-kick from Ronaldo, but he was more than equal to both.

The second half began in a similar vein, with both teams on the front foot.

Matejovsky slid a neat ball into the area and into the path of Sionko, whose low cross just evaded the onrushing Czech attackers three minutes after the break.

Nuno Gomes did well to get a shot away but it was at a comfortable height for Cech.

The Benfica striker then almost capitalised on hesitancy from David Rozehnal, but the Lazio defender got back well to make amends.

Portugal were beginning to create half-chances, Simao Sabrosa the next to try his luck from 12 yards only to be denied by Cech.

Then came what proved to be the game's decisive 60 seconds.

After 62 minutes, Czech captain Tomas Ujfalusi got up well at the near post but saw his header flash across goal and narrowly wide from Plasil's corner.

And then at the other end, Deco rolled the ball to Ronaldo on the edge of the area and the 23-year-old struck his first goal of the tournament into the bottom-left corner.

Plasil almost set up an equaliser for the Czechs shortly afterwards when he headed a corner back across goal but no colleague was on hand to take advantage.

Bruckner introduced the Czechs' all-time leading goalscorer Koller after 73 minutes to join Baros up front in pursuit of an equaliser.

The only time Ricardo was unduly troubled in the remaining 17 minutes, however, was when he had to tip a Sionko header over the bar from substitute Stanislav Vlcek's corner.

And on the stroke of full-time, the Portuguese made absolutely certain when Ronaldo broke free and unselfishly played in substitute Quaresma for the clincher.


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Czech Republic Vs. Portugal Highlights Video Clips

Czech Republic 1 - 3 Portugal
half-time (1 - 1)

referee :
Kyros Vassaras (Greece)
match details :
8' [0 - 1] Deco
17' L. Sionko [1 - 1]
63' [1 - 2] C. Ronaldo
91' [1 - 3] R. Quaresma

CLICK below to watch Czech Republic Vs. Portugal Highlights Video Clips...
WATCH DECO GOAL...
WATCH SIONKO GOAL...
WATCH RONALDO GOAL...
WATCH R. QUARESMA GOAL...









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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Switzerland Vs. Turkey Match Preview

FEUSISBERG, Switzerland, June 10 (Reuters) - Switzerland and Turkey will aim to put the ugly scenes that marred their last encounter behind them when they meet at Euro 2008 on Wednesday.

Media in both countries have been focusing for weeks on the violence that followed Switzerland's World Cup qualifying playoff victory in Istanbul in November 2005.

But with the teams facing the possibility of an early exit from the tournament after opening game defeats, they have insisted they are concentrating purely on the present.

'Of course, it's not easy to forget what happened in Istanbul,' Swiss midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta told reporters on Monday. 'But we are trying not to dwell on it.

'The only similarity to the situation in Istanbul is that both sides need to win so Wednesday will be like a final for all of us.'

Turkey have steered clear of discussing the Istanbul match at their own news conferences but coach Fatih Terim has spoken in the past of his side's desire to put the matter behind them.

'I'm convinced that both sides will give good examples of fair play both on and off the pitch,' he said immediately after December's Euro 2008 draw.

Switzerland lost the Istanbul encounter 4-2 but denied Turkey a place at the 2006 World Cup on away goals thanks to their 2-0 victory in the first leg in Berne.

The Swiss success was overshadowed by the subsequent clashes between players and coaching staff that saw Switzerland defender Stephane Grichting taken to hospital after a kick in the groin.

World soccer's governing body FIFA handed out six-match bans to Turkish players Alpay and Emre and Swiss midfielder Benjamin Huggel, later reducing Emre and Huggel's to four games.

Turkey were also ordered to play their first three Euro 2008 qualifiers on neutral ground behind closed doors.

Police and security officials told Reuters on Monday that Wednesday's reunion was higher risk than other matches in Switzerland and more police would be deployed in Basel.

However, European governing body UEFA said it was not planning increased security measures inside the stadium.

Swiss captain Alex Frei will be their biggest absentee after being ruled out of the tournament with a knee ligament injury.

His regular strike partner Marco Streller has suffered with a recurring groin problem but is expected to recover in time.

Turkey's main concerns are in central defence with Gokhan Zan ruled out and Servet Cetin doubtful after both damaged knee ligaments in Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Portugal.


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Czech Republic Vs. Portugal Match Preview

NEUCHATEL, Switzerland, June 10 (Reuters) - Group A favourites Portugal or Czech Republic could on Wednesday become the first team to book a place in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals.

Portugal, who impressively beat Turkey 2-0 in their opening match, and the Czechs, less than convincing 1-0 winners of the tournament opener against co-hosts Switzerland on Saturday, meet at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva (1600 GMT).

'Our idea is to play to win and go through,' said Portugal playmaker Deco.

It is in midfield that the Czechs will have to make a big improvement if they are to compete with the lively creative partnership of Deco and Joao Moutinho.

'It was good (linking with Moutinho) ... Every day he's more mature. It was easy combining with him,' the 54-cap Deco said of his 21-year-old team mate, who made his 14th appearance for Portugal on Saturday.

Czech Republic won the teams' only previous European Championship meeting 1-0 in the Euro 96 quarter-finals in England.

They would have met in the final four years ago in Lisbon but for the giant-killing exploits of eventual winners Greece.

At the 2006 World Cup, the Portuguese reached the semi-finals whereas the Czechs suffered a disappointment they will not want to repeat, winning their opening match only to lose the next two and fail to get out of their group.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech could prove to be Portugal's biggest obstacle although the Czech back four can also form a formidable barrier.

Portugal have no injury worries and they are also back to 23 men following the arrival on Sunday of goalkeeper Nuno Espirito Santo to replace the injured Quim as Ricardo's understudy, but coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is unlikely to make changes.

Brueckner, who can also choose from a full squad, said the team needed improvements in a midfield lacking the creativity of the absent Tomas Rosicky.

'We didn't manage to get the ball to (Jan) Koller and because of that we pretty much kept him out of the game,' Brueckner told reporters, before hinting he may shuffle things around a bit. 'A winning line-up can change.'

He could pick Marek Matejovsky in the playmaking role in place of David Jarolim.

Brueckner may also be tempted to put out a two-pronged attack with Saturday's match-winning substitute Vaclav Sverkos or Euro 2004 top scorer Milan Baros playing alongside Koller, who will hope to exploit his two metres' height against Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho.


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Saturday, June 7, 2008

Switzerland Vs. Czech Republic Match Report

Switzerland's Euro 2008 campaign got off to a catastrophic start as substitute Vaclav Sverkos' second-half strike earned the Czech Republic a smash-and-grab win over the co-hosts in the tournament curtain-raiser in Basle.

Not only did the Swiss lose a Group A match they dominated for large parts at the St Jakob-Park, they also may have lost talismanic striker Alexander Frei for the rest of the competition after he went off injured at the end of the first half.

Frei, the nation's torchbearer when it comes to their football team, was crying as he hobbled off with a knee injury in the 44th minute.

And many of the home team's fans will have done just the same when Banik Ostrava's Sverkos, the top scorer in the Czech top flight this season with 15 goals, poked home a scarcely deserved winner in the 70th minute.

What the defeat, and more importantly Frei's injury, will do to the Swiss remains to be seen, but they already face an uphill struggle to qualify from a group that also includes Turkey and Portugal, one of the favourites for the title.

It had all began so well for Kobi Kuhn's side, who pegged back the below-par Czechs for much of the game.

A colourful, 13-minute opening ceremony - featuring 976 performers and with modern pixel art as its inspiration - preceded the match.

It ended with 900 pyrotechnic shots fired into the sky and when the real action got under way, it was Frei who produced the fireworks in an all-action first-half display before he got injured.

The Borussia Dortmund striker, who became Switzerland's all-time leading scorer with 35 goals following his brace against Liechtenstein in a warm-up match last week, screwed a 25-yarder just wide after only 120 seconds.

The 28-year-old also drew a great save from Petr Cech in the 21st minute, the Chelsea goalkeeper using his feet to deny Frei.

At the other end, the giant Jan Koller - used as a lone striker by Czech Republic coach Karel Bruckner - was ploughing a lonely furrow with little success.

Koller was getting scant support from his midfield, who were more comfortable with the ball at their feet than running on to help their isolated frontman.

Indeed, the only time Switzerland goalkeeper Diego Benaglio was troubled in the opening 45 minutes was when he had to turn aside a misdirected, but goalbound, cross from David Jarolim.

Cech also defied Valon Behrami and Gokhan Inler midway through a first half Switzerland shaded, but the injury to Frei had stunned the crowd as the players walked off towards the tunnel for the interval.

The experienced Hakan Yakin replaced Frei, who appeared to jar his left knee in a challenge, for the second period and the substitute almost made an immediate impact when he curled a free-kick just over.

Even without their talismanic striker, the hosts were proving too much for their opponents and Bruckner replaced the ineffective Koller with domestic scoring machine Sverkos just 10 minutes into the half.

It initially made precious little difference. Still it was all Switzerland and left-winger Tranquillo Barnetta, who may now be the country's great hope in the absence of Frei, volleyed over from a good position just after the hour mark.

Yakin was getting himself into some decent positions too and he really should have done better when he planted Stephan Lichtsteiner's textbook cross just wide of the post from eight yards.

Sverkos' winner therefore came against the run of play.

After a Czech free-kick was cleared, Tomas Galasek helped the ball back into the danger area and the 24-year-old reacted the quickest to latch onto the ball and poke a finish to the right of Benaglio from 10 yards.

Sverkos' shot may even have come off his shin but he will not care one jot.

His team-mates then defended stoutly to preserve their lead, although Switzerland forward Johan Vonlanthen will rue only hitting the bar from close range with 10 minutes left.


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Portugal Vs. Turkey Match Report

Second-half goals from Pepe and substitute Raul Meireles ensured Portugal got their Euro 2008 campaign off to a winning start against Turkey at the Stade de Geneve.

Man of the match Pepe sent the Portuguese fans into raptures on the hour with a well-taken goal, playing a neat one-two with captain Nuno Gomes before lifting his shot over Volkan Demirel.

Raul Meireles made the points safe in stoppage time when he slotted home following a quick counter-attack involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Moutinho.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's team will count themselves unlucky not to have won by a greater margin after hitting the woodwork three times.

Ronaldo saw his 35-yard free-kick brilliantly tipped onto the post by Turkey goalkeeper Volkan seven minutes before the interval and Nuno Gomes was twice denied by the woodwork after the break.

But two goals were enough to see Portugal move top of Group A on goal difference from Czech Republic, who edged co-hosts Switzerland 1-0 in the tournament's curtain-raiser earlier in the day in Basle.

The first 45 minutes in Geneva were an open affair but, apart from Ronaldo's set-piece, neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled.

Jose Bosingwa struck a low cross into the side-netting in the second minute following a promising move down the right.

Chelsea's new signing then provided Ronaldo with his first sight of goal, the 23-year-old cutting in from the right but blazing a left-footed shot high over the crossbar in the sixth minute.

Turkey appealed for a penalty seven minutes later when Tuncay Sanli went down under the challenge of Bosingwa but German referee Herbert Fandel waved away their claims.

Real Madrid defender Pepe thought he had put the Euro 2004 finalists ahead in the 17th minute when he headed home following Simao Sabrosa's corner but his celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

Nihat Kahveci saw his free-kick from just outside the area deflected narrowly wide as the game continued to flow from end to end.

Simao had the next opportunity, but curled his free-kick just over the bar after Deco's progress had been halted by Mehmet Aurelio.

Ronaldo almost conjured up a moment of magic on the half-hour, weaving his way past four players only to drag his right-footed effort wide.

Fenerbahce goalkeeper Volkan then stepped up to keep out Ronaldo's blistering free-kick and Moutinho lashed over from 10 yards, but the deadlock was not to be broken in the first half.

The second period began in lively fashion. Nuno Gomes poked a first-time shot against the post with the referee having played a good advantage following a hefty challenge on Simao from Gokhan Zan.

Portugal coach Scolari was beginning to get animated on the touchline at his team's failures in the final third.

Ronaldo sought to rectify that by fending off the attentions of Hamit Altintop and breaking clear on the left 11 minutes after the break, but again he saw his shot kept out by Volkan.

Moutinho's swerving attempt was too high to worry the keeper but, although Turkey substitute Sabri Sarioglu also let fly from long range, Portugal did not have much longer to wait for the breakthrough.

Pepe's tidy finish was followed almost immediately by a glancing Nuno Gomes header from Ronaldo's cross.

It struck the crossbar with Volkan rooted to the spot as Portugal looked to further capitalise on their superiority.

Turkey looked to be getting frustrated as the Portuguese asserted their authority, with Sabri's over-zealous appeals for handball against Simao on the edge of the area earning the Galatasaray defender a yellow card.

With only one goal in it, however, Portugal could not afford to relax and were almost pegged back nine minutes from time but Turkey substitute Emre Asik headed wide when in acres of space.

Tuncay also had a chance to nick a point towards the end but completely missed his kick.

And the door was firmly closed on Turkey in stoppage time when Meireles sealed matters.


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EURO 2008 GROUP A Standing


GPWDLGSGAGDP
Portugal 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 2
Czech Republic 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1
Switzerland 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0
Turkey 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 0



Read more...

Portugal Vs. Turkey Highlights Video Clips

Portugal 2 - 0 Turkey
half-time (0 - 0)

referee : spectators :
Herbert Fandel (Germany) 29,106
match details :
61' Pepe [1 - 0]
90' R. Meireles [2 - 0]

CLICK below to watch Portugal Vs. Turkey Highlights Video Clips...
WATCH Pepe GOAL...
WATCH Meireles GOAL...




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Switzerland Vs. Czech Republic Highlights Video Clips

Switzerland 0 - 1 Czech Republic
half-time (0 - 0)

referee : spectators :
Roberto Rosetti (Italy) 39,730
match details :
70' [0 - 1] V. Sverkos

Click below to watch Switzerland Vs. Czech Republic Highlights Video Clips...
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS HERE...


SWICHE - MyVideo


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Portugal Vs. Turkey Match Preview

Updated: June 6, 2008, 9:12 AM ET
NEUCHATEL, Switzerland, June 6 (Reuters) - Another two-goal winning performance from striker Nuno Gomes against Turkey would suit Portugal fine in their Euro 2008 opener at 1845 GMT on Saturday.

Nuno Gomes, who is expected to lead the line in the Group A game in Geneva, struck twice to give Portugal a 2-0 win over the Turks when they last met, in the Euro 2000 quarter-finals.

The result had other ramifications because coach Fatih Terim, now in charge of Turkey but then about to join Fiorentina, signed the Portuguese striker for the Italian team.

The two, who have a strong mutual respect for each other, meet again but on opposite sides as Portugal look to win a trophy they have edged ever closer to over the last 12 years.

Portugal, quarter-finalists in England in 1996, reached the 2000 semi-finals with that win over Turkey, and then the final when they hosted the tournament four years ago, only to become the victims of giant-killers Greece.

With Cristiano Ronaldo, then a raw if very talented teenager but now arguably Europe's top player, the Portuguese hope to finally lift their first major trophy.

'Like all of us, Ronaldo will defend Portugal up to the last minute of the last game. He knows his importance to the team,' defender Fernando Meira told a news conference on Thursday.

First, they must make a better start than in 2004 on home soil when they were upset in their opening match -- an ominous earlier defeat by the Greeks.

'We have to make a winning start although I don't agree with those who believe that whichever team wins this match will be practically in the quarter-finals,' said goalkeeper Ricardo.

Standing in Portugal's way is Terim, whose high rating outside his country took him from Fiorentina to AC Milan, and his strongly committed Turkish team.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has a fit squad after the minor scare when Ronaldo had to put ice on a knock on his right ankle during training on Monday, the squad's first day in Switzerland.

Midfielder Deco, also expected to play, did light training apart from the rest of the squad on Thursday for muscle toning purposes, team doctor Henrique Jones told reporters.

'However, I can guarantee he will be 100 percent for the first game against Turkey,' he said.

The Turks, making their first appearance at a major tournament since finishing third at the 2002 World Cup, are also injury free going into the match.

Midfielder Hamit Altintop, who was out for two months after breaking a metatarsal bone in a friendly against Belarus in March, has declared himself fit despite suffering a muscle problem in training last week.


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Switzerland Vs. Czech Republic Match Preview

Updated: June 6, 2008, 9:15 AM ET
BASEL, June 6 (Reuters) - Euro 2008 gets underway on Saturday with co-hosts Switzerland pitting their promising young team against an experienced Czech Republic side (1600 GMT) keen to prove their best days are not behind them.

Koebi Kuhn's Swiss squad are one of the youngest at these finals but include several players who have already experienced two major tournaments.

'Our players have developed and ripened since the 2006 World Cup,' captain Alex Frei told reporters at the team's base camp.

'I believe in the quality of the team and I know it is hungry for success. We want to write history and now have the chance to do so in our own country.'

The former Czechoslovakia won Euro 1976 and recent successes for the side include an appearance in the 1996 final and a run to the 2004 semi-finals.

But the international retirements of Karel Poborsky and Pavel Nedved along with the loss through injury of captain Tomas Rosicky have raised doubts over the pedigree of this squad.

'I don't know why people would say we are not as good as we were before,' midfielder David Jarolim told reporters at the team's training ground in Seefeld, Austria.

'We have qualified for the last three tournaments in a row. That shows how strong we are and we will prove it again at Euro 2008.'

Neutral fans will hope to see plenty of goals with the Group A game bringing together two of the tournament's most prolific strikers.

Frei has scored 35 times in 59 matches for Switzerland while towering Czech forward Jan Koller boasts a record of 54 goals in 87 internationals.

Switzerland will struggle to contain the 2.02-metre tall Koller, particularly with regular central defender Patrick Mueller yet to prove his match fitness after missing the majority of the season through injury.

'We won't be man-marking Koller,' said Swiss assistant coach Michel Pont. 'Our team has coped with Zinedine Zidane (of France) and plenty of other great players in the past without assigning defenders to particular players.

'We won't start doing so now against the Czechs, not least because they have plenty of other attacking options.'

Czech coach Karel Brueckner did not give any hints as to which of those options he would exercise but has faced repeated calls from the media to drop Milan Baros and play Koller alone up front.

Baros was Euro 2004's top scorer but has failed to find the net for his country since March 2007.


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Friday, May 30, 2008

Portugal Euro 2008 Squad

12 Silva QuimM10 Felipe Joao Moutinho
G1 Pereira RicardoM19 Luis Nani
G22 Pedro dos Santos Rui PatricioM8 Armando Petit
D4 Jose Silva BosingwaM6 Jose Trindade Raul Meireles
D3 Eduardo Regufe Bruno AlvesM7 Cristiano Ronaldo
D16 Ricardo CarvalhoM11 Sabrosa Simao
D5 Freitas Fernando MeiraM18 Miguel Luis Pinto Veloso
D2 Paulo FerreiraS9 Miguel Pereira Hugo Almeida
D14 Miguel de Oliveira Jorge RibeiroS21 Miguel Nuno Gomes
D13 MiguelS23 Helder Postiga
D15 Kleper Laveran Lima Ferreira PepeS17 Ricardo Andrade Bernardo Quaresma
M20 Deco



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