Euro 2008 - day 5

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.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.
Ardan Turan's deflected goal deep in injury time gave Turkey a win that revived their UEFA EURO 2008 hopes – but ended those of co-hosts Switzerland on St. Jakob-Park in Basel.

Switzerland, like Turkey beaten on the opening day, dealt better with a first-half Basel downpour and Hakan Yakin put them ahead just past the half-hour with a rain-assisted goal. Semih, however, was a prolific scorer from the bench for Fenerbahçe SK this season and 12 minutes after his half-time introduction he repeated the trick for his nation. It seemed a draw would be the outcome but Arda had other ideas and now Turkey can reach the quarter-finals by winning their final Group A game against the Czech Republic on Sunday. Switzerland will finish in fourth place.

Euro 2008 started today

The first game of the tournament was Switzerland-Czech Republic 0-1. First of it we had a colourful ceremony at St. Jakob-Park in Basel.The display, conceptually designed by artistic director Martin Arnaud and the Auditoire agency, combined the various elements that will make EURO a memorable experience – the heritage of the two host countries, sport and culture, and UEFA's values of fair play, respect and the joy of football. The 13-minute show featured around 1,000 performers of various nationalities, aged between 14 and 70. Among the images prevalent were Alpine horns and yodellers, the green summer pastures and white winter landscapes of both countries, and the splendour of Lake Constance, bordered by both host nations.Svěrkoš took on the role with 19 minutes remaining. Following a period of Czech pressure prompted by Sionko and Plašil, the striker latched on to Zdeněk Grygera's forward header to direct a cool, low finish to Benaglio's left – the 24-year-old's first international goal. A player from FC Baník Ostrava had just ruined Switzerland's big day.
Portugal won against Turkey by 2 second-half strikes from Pepe and substitute Raul Meireles who secured all three points for Cristiano Ronaldo's team at the Stade de Genève.

It was a deserved victory for Luiz Felipe Scolari's men who also rattled the woodwork twice through Nuno Gomes. For Turkey, by contrast, defeat here continues their unhappy sequence of results against not just Portugal but also teams coached by Scolari – his Brazil beat them twice at the 2002 FIFA World Cup – and makes Wednesday's Group A meeting with Switzerland a virtual eliminator.