Czech Republic v Portugal, 11 June 2008

Score3-1 to Portugal
RefereeKyros Vassaras
CompetitionUEFA European Championship Finals Group A
VenueStade de Genève, Geneva
Attendance29,016
Kick-off: 6:00pm local Assistant referees: Dimitrios Bozatzidis (Greece) Dimitrios Saraidaris (Greece) Fourth official: Kristinn Jakobsson (Iceland) Man of the Match: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) Cristiano Ronaldo scored one goal and set up two more as Portugal qualified for the UEFA EURO 2008 quarter-finals as Group A winners after a 3-1 defeat of the Czech Republic in Geneva. Deco gave Portugal an eighth-minute lead after good work from Ronaldo before Libor Sionko's thumping header levelled proceedings. However, Ronaldo turned on the style in the second half, providing a sublime finish from the edge of the area in the 63rd minute before supplying Ricardo Quaresma to round things off in added time. The win left Portugal top of Group A with six points and their last-eight place was confirmed by Turkey's last-gasp victory over Switzerland later in the evening – a result that leaves the Czechs tied in second with Fatih Terim's side on three points ahead of their decisive meeting on Sunday, which if it is drawn will go to penalties. While Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari kept faith with the XI that served him so well in the opener against Turkey, Czech counterpart Karel Brückner dropped Jan Koller in favour of Milan Baroš, top scorer at UEFA EURO 2004, and elected not to give Václav Svěrkoš the chance to shine from the start despite his winning strike against the Swiss. The Czechs may have registered the first shot on goal after Sionko's mazy run, but it was Portugal who delivered the first telling blow. The ever-menacing Ronaldo escaped the clutches of his marker down the left before a swift one-two with Nuno Gomes left the Manchester United FC winger with just Petr Čech to beat. The goalkeeper foiled Ronaldo's attempt to waltz around him but the ball fell invitingly for Deco to slot home at the second attempt from close range, giving Scolari's men the perfect start. The Czechs, who had clearly targeted Paulo Ferreira as Portugal's weak link down the right, sought an instant response through Marek Jankulovski but, after cleverly making space for himself, he could only send his long-range effort wide of Ricardo's post. The game was developing into an absorbing contest played at a breathtaking pace and it came as no surprise when the Czechs restored parity in the 18th minute. Jaroslav Plašil was the architect, swinging in a vicious corner and Sionko, who had been at the heart of almost every Czech attack, powered a diving header beyond the despairing dive of Ricardo. The merits of hard work and a deft touch were apparent in both midfields with Petit always assured on the ball and the Czech trio working tirelessly to close down Portugal's wing quartet whenever they looked threatening. Although Ronaldo had three efforts on goal before the interval, Portugal evidently emerged from their half-time team talk with renewed vigour. First Nuno Gomes, anonymous to that point, had two efforts in quick succession before Scolari's team regained the lead through a combination of young legs and an older head. After wave upon wave of Portuguese attacks, the ball fell to Deco on the right of the area and he weighted his pass perfectly for Ronaldo to supply the smooth finish with a right-foot shot into the bottom left-hand corner of Čech's goal from the edge of the area. It was his 46th goal of an incredible season. The Czechs threw everything at Portugal in the closing stages but could not find their way past Ricardo and his resolute defence. In the final minute, with the entire Czech team committed to an attack, Ronaldo raced clear before squaring to Quaresma who slotted the ball home to complete the victory.

1  Czech Republic

Manager: Karel Bruckner

3  Portugal

Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Goals:

Libor Sionko 17 G

Goals:

Deco 8 G
Cristiano Ronaldo 63 G
Ricardo Quaresma 90 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Petr Čech
Defender Zdeněk Grygera
Defender David Rozehnal
Defender Tomáš Ujfaluši (captain)
Midfielder Tomáš Galásek
Midfielder Marek Matějovský
Midfielder Jaroslav Plašil
Midfielder Jan Polák
Midfielder Libor Sionko
Forward Milan Baroš

Starting lineup:

Ricardo Goalkeeper
José Bosingwa Defender
Paulo Ferreira Defender
Pepe Defender
Deco Midfielder
João Moutinho Midfielder
Petit Midfielder
Simão Midfielder
Nuno Gomes Forward (captain)

Substitutions:

Stanislav Vlček for Marek Matějovský 68
Jan Koller for Tomáš Galásek 73
David Jarolím for Jaroslav Plašil 85

Substitutions:

Fernando Meira for João Moutinho 74
Hugo Almeida for Nuno Gomes 79
Ricardo Quaresma for Simão 80

Cards:

Jan Polák 23 Y

Cards:

José Bosingwa 31 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Jaromir Blažek
Goalkeeper Daniel Zitka
Defender Michal Kadlec
Defender Radoslav Kováč
Defender Zdeněk Pospěch
Defender Tomáš Sivok
Midfielder David Jarolím
Midfielder Rudi Skacel
Forward Martin Fenin
Forward Jan Koller
Forward Vaclav Sverkos

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Nuno
Goalkeeper Rui Patrício
Defender Bruno Alves
Defender Fernando Meira
Defender Jorge Ribeiro
Defender Miguel
Midfielder Miguel Veloso
Midfielder Nani
Midfielder Raul Meireles
Forward Hugo Almeida

Comments:

- Portugal have won a record seven successive group phase matches at European Championships and World Cups. - Portugal extended their unbeaten sequence in competitive matches to 13, their second best streak ever. Their last defeat in a competitive match was in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Poland (2-1) on 11 October 2006. - Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco contributed a goal and an assist. Both players now have three assists at European Championships. The only Portuguese player with more assists at European Championships is Luis Figo (five). He also leads all Portuguese players when goals and assists are combined.

1  Czech Republic

Manager: Karel Bruckner

Goals:

Libor Sionko 17 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Petr Čech
Defender Zdeněk Grygera
Defender David Rozehnal
Defender Tomáš Ujfaluši (captain)
Midfielder Tomáš Galásek
Midfielder Marek Matějovský
Midfielder Jaroslav Plašil
Midfielder Jan Polák
Midfielder Libor Sionko
Forward Milan Baroš

Substitutions:

Stanislav Vlček for Marek Matějovský 68
Jan Koller for Tomáš Galásek 73
David Jarolím for Jaroslav Plašil 85

Cards:

Jan Polák 23 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Jaromir Blažek
Goalkeeper Daniel Zitka
Defender Michal Kadlec
Defender Radoslav Kováč
Defender Zdeněk Pospěch
Defender Tomáš Sivok
Midfielder David Jarolím
Midfielder Rudi Skacel
Forward Martin Fenin
Forward Jan Koller
Forward Vaclav Sverkos

3  Portugal

Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Goals:

Deco 8 G
Cristiano Ronaldo 63 G
Ricardo Quaresma 90 G

Starting lineup:

Ricardo Goalkeeper
José Bosingwa Defender
Paulo Ferreira Defender
Pepe Defender
Deco Midfielder
João Moutinho Midfielder
Petit Midfielder
Simão Midfielder
Nuno Gomes Forward (captain)

Substitutions:

Fernando Meira for João Moutinho 74
Hugo Almeida for Nuno Gomes 79
Ricardo Quaresma for Simão 80

Cards:

José Bosingwa 31 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Nuno
Goalkeeper Rui Patrício
Defender Bruno Alves
Defender Fernando Meira
Defender Jorge Ribeiro
Defender Miguel
Midfielder Miguel Veloso
Midfielder Nani
Midfielder Raul Meireles
Forward Hugo Almeida

Comments:

- Portugal have won a record seven successive group phase matches at European Championships and World Cups. - Portugal extended their unbeaten sequence in competitive matches to 13, their second best streak ever. Their last defeat in a competitive match was in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Poland (2-1) on 11 October 2006. - Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco contributed a goal and an assist. Both players now have three assists at European Championships. The only Portuguese player with more assists at European Championships is Luis Figo (five). He also leads all Portuguese players when goals and assists are combined.