Portugal

Written by Angela Asante

Germany have qualified for the semi-finals of the Euro 2008 on a 3 - 2 score line at the expense of Portugal who are out.

Germany’s 4-2-3-1 plan stunned coach Scolari and the rest of the Portuguese team: with less than half an hour gone down the clock, they had inflicted pressure and anxiety on the 2004 runners up.

L. Podolski made a great run at the left hand side of the pitch and finished his work by making a good cross in the penalty area. The ball found B. Schweinsteiger who tapped it into the net to give his side a 22nd minute lead.

Sadly, things got worse for Portugal who went down 2 - 0 in a space of 5 minutes.

Germany’s number 7 shirt Schweinsteiger was involved in the build up of his side’s second goal as his ball - out of his free-kick - reached Klose who headed it into the net. The goal seemed to be apparently offside but no one can change what a referee has or hasn’t decided…

So it was time for Portugal to organise a “red revolution”:

Captain Nuno Gomes’s strike in the 40th minute reduced Portugal’s deficit at half time.

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Angela Asante
Euro2008TV Writer

In a repeat of the 2006 World Cup third place final, Germany and Portugal will clash together, this time in the quarterfinals of the Euro 2008 Championship.

Germany won 3 – 1 in their last meeting which earned the Germans the third place at the expense of Portugal who then finished fourth.
But on Thursday, it is another story and it could all be different.

Most people might tip this game to be a tight encounter featuring two of football’s finest national teams and they will hope the new pitch at the stadium will not affect both performances.

Four years ago, Portugal had to force a 1 – 1 draw against England before winning on penalties at this same stage.

As for Germany, it has been 12 years since they won a quarterfinal game but they still have hopes of breaking this curse:

In Ballack, they possess a potential and influential captain who powered them through to this stage by scoring a bullet free-kick which earned them a 1 – 0 victory in the last round of matches in Group B.

Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal’s big man among his star team mates but Portuguese fans should watch out who are on the other side of the battlefield:

Germany are strong at the back with goal keeper Jens Lehman and better as they push forward with P. Lahm and their top striker Lucas Podolski.

Who knows what is going to happen? One mistake might just be deadly!

Angela Asante
Euro2008TV Writer 

More than just that?

Portugal lost 2 - 0 to Switzerland in a game that did not have much importance for them. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari had the luxury of resting big players since his team had already qualified for the quaterfinals. Ronaldo’s exclusion from the entire squad as well as the inclusion of Nani, Quaresma and H. Postigha as starters were part of the 8 changes he made to the squad. The weaken Portuguese team were unable to find the net in the whole of the game and could not keep a clean sheet either. Their defeat came twenty minutes from time when Swiss striker Yakin scored twice to give his side their first and only win of the tournament. Well done for the co-host who at least won their game of pride, but for Portugal doesn’t their defeat mean more than just that?

Portugal’s 2 - 0 loss could find its explanation through the fact that the coach played a weaken side but one might also think that Scolari’s appointment as Chelsea’s new manager has something to do with that.

So then, if this thought were to be true, is Luis Felipe saying goodbye too soon to Portugal in terms of commitment and devotion?

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