Euro 2008 Today
Associated Press
VIENNA, Austria (AP)—A look at Day 5 of the 2008 European Championship on Wednesday:
RESULTS
Portugal 3, Czech Republic 1, Group A (Portugal advances)
Turkey 2, Switzerland 1, Group A (Switzerland eliminated)
HIGHLIGHTS
Portugal looked as powerful as any team in the tournament with its 3-1 victory over the Czech Republic as stars Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo led the way.
Turkey fought through a torrential rainstorm, a field that turned into a quagmire, and a one-goal deficit to win 2-1 over Switzerland when Arda Turan scored in injury time.
STARS
Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo each scored once and set up a goal in Portugal’s 3-1 win over the Czech Republic that assured advancement from Group A.
Arda Turan scored in injury time to give Turkey a 2-1 win over Switzerland that eliminated the co-hosts from the European Championship. Turan scored in the second minute of injury time, sending a right-footed shot from outside the area that deflected in off Switzerland defender Patrick Mueller.
INJURIES
Sweden midfielder Christian Wilhemsson is likely to miss his team’s remaining matches after pulling his left hamstring in the opener against Greece. Wilhemsson was one of Sweden’s best players in Tuesday’s 2-0 victory, but was carried off the field in the second half after being hurt during one of his many rushes down the flanks.
HISTORY
With a 2-1 loss to Turkey, Switzerland became the second European Championship host to be eliminated before the final four. Euro 2000 co-host Belgium also failed to get through the group stage.
GOAL OF THE DAY
Portugal’s Deco made a perfect chip pass through three Czech defenders in the area and Cristiano Ronaldo powered it into the net for his nation’s second goal in a 3-1 win.
LOOKAHEAD
Group B holds its second games, with Germany facing Croatia in a match of 1-0 teams at Klagenfurt, Austria. The co-host Austrians play Poland in Vienna.
QUOTABLE
“I said some things I can’t repeat to you. My (players) were beaten like animals in the first half. I had to tell them that we are not the nice guys in the story. We had to show the opponent we know how to impose ourselves.”— Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari about his halftime speech to his team.