The 2006 World Cup’s fourth placed team have won their second 2008 European Championship match. In Geneva the Portuguese side, including Hugo Almeida, beat the Czech Republic 3:1 (1:1).
The 2006 World Cup’s fourth placed team have won their second 2008 European Championship match. In Geneva the Portuguese side, including Hugo Almeida, beat the Czech Republic 3:1 (1:1).
The 2006 World Cup’s fourth placed team have won their second 2008 European Championship match. In Geneva the Portuguese side, including Hugo Almeida, beat the Czech Republic 3:1 (1:1). The Werder Bremen striker made his first EURO appearance as a substitute for the last twelve minutes of the match.
In an entertaining match, the south-west Europeans took the lead after just eight minutes through Deco, who profited from a good run by Cristiano Ronaldo. Nine minutes later though, it was all level again. Libor Sionko rose to head home a corner from Plasil - 1:1. The sides were evenly matched and only long distance efforts from Deco and Ronaldo threatened to break the deadlock before half-time.
Both sides continued to press after the break but there was little for either goalkeeper to do. Then, in the 63rd minute, Cristiano Ronaldo took on a pass from Deco and buried into left corner from 14 meters out to put Portugal back in the driving seat. In the following minutes, Milan Baros missed out on two good chances to equalise before Portuguese trainer Felipe Scolari made a brave move and introduced two further attacking players in an attempt to force the issue.
