Ronaldo show shatters Czechs

Cristiano Ronaldo scored one goal and set up two more to put Portugal
on the brink of the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2008™ after a 3-1 win
over Group A rivals Czech Republic at the Stade de Genève. Sublime finish
Deco
had given 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,
which leaves Portugal top of Group A with six points, will almost
certainly ensure them a last-eight place but it leaves the Czechs with
a nervous finish in their final group game against Turkey on Sunday. Baroš return
While
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari kept faith with the same XI that
served him so well in the opener against Turkey, his 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 the Portuguese who delivered the first telling
blow with just eight minutes on the clock. The ever-menacing Ronaldo
escaped the clutches of his marker down the left side before a swift
one-two with Nuno Gomes left the Manchester United FC winger with just
Petr Čech to beat. The Czech goalkeeper somehow foiled Ronaldo's effort
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. Thunderous header
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. Ronaldo rocket
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. Quaresma slots home
The
Czechs threw everything at Portugal in the closing stages but could not
find their way past Ricardo and a resolute Portuguese defence and 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 and put Portugal within touching distance
of the last eight.