A1: Portugal 2 - 0 Turkey - 07/06/08

[Daniel24]

Originally Posted by z187

agreed his diving put a blemish on his performances as well as Portugal. the thing is Ronaldo is the type who wants to win at all costs... hopefully we dont see these antics this time around.

last few nt games he wasnt himself... lets hope he snaps out of it although I feel he is more restricted in the Portugal system... he seems to get fewer chances to score goals on Portugal he is expected to provide more.

I think thats why people underestimated him. They all made this banter about how he dived too much which is true. If he had refrained from diving then he probably wouldnt have as many haters...

The last few nt games it has seemed that its not where he wants to be. He seems to care more about Madrid & MU then his country.. Agreed he is more restricted. He feels that on Portugal he must do everything and doesnt look elsewhere for his passing options. He needs to learn to pass and get open not try to shake the opponent and wait for the ref to call for a foul..

[Vargas_4]

I expect Portugal to win but for Turkey to put up a good fight.

Portugal will go 1-0. Turkey will make good attacks and pressure them. But Portugal will score and make it 2-0 with a counter attack.

[Forza_Roma]

Originally Posted by Daniel24

Now now 3-0? Somebody rates Portugal rather high

Not that high.....i just don't rate Turkey compared to Portugal.

[Daniel24]

Turkey hoping to reverse trend against Portugal at Euro 2008

NYON, Switzerland (AP) -Turkey is hoping that the third time will be the charm.

The Turks have twice lost to Portugal in the European Championship, first in the group stage at Euro 1996 and then in the quarterfinals four years later. On Saturday, they'll get another chance to play the Euro 2004 finalists in their opening Group A match at this year's tournament.

"Turkey indeed lost the previous two times against Portugal but we will play the third game,'' Turkey midfielder Mehmet Aurelio said Monday. "We are well prepared and we are here to change the course (of history).''

The Turks considered themselves rookies at Euro 1996. For the players and the fans at home, just playing in Europe's top football tournament was a victory, so completion of the group stage without scoring a goal did not hurt too much.

But the match against Portugal in 2000 was especially bitter, especially after Turkey was reduced to 10 men in the first half.

Saturday's game, however, should give the Turks a good start in Group A, according to Aurelio.

"It's so important because it's the first game,'' said Aurelio, who was born in Brazil but became a Turkish citizen in 2006. "If we beat them, then it will be a great motivation.''

But besides facing Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates, Turkey will also have to cope with the injury to Bayern Munich midfielder Hamit Altintop, who hurt his hamstring while training in Germany on Friday. The German club said he was a "doubtful starter'' for the game against Portugal.

Portugal's national team did not make the same announcement, however, and Hamit trained with the team Monday in Switzerland. But the Turks have other injury worries as well.

Servet Cetin, the center of Turkey backline, was seriously injured when he was first called up in May. Turkey coach Fatih Terim said Cetin is recovering fast and is strong enough to bear the occasional pain. Gokhan Gonul, the promising right back whom Brazil great Zico has called Europe's new Cafu, was lost to a swollen right foot. Gonul regretfully said it was due to his insistence on playing with his team Fenerbahce in the Champions League this year.

Turkey will also play co-host Switzerland on June 11 and then face the Czech Republic on June 15 at this month's tournament.

Turkey hoping to reverse trend against Portugal at Euro 2008 - - SI.com

[Trim]

Originally Posted by Forza_Roma

Good luck Portugal. A small part of me will be rooting for you guys. Quaresma and Ronaldo will see Portugal through and defeat Turkey 3-0!!!!

Turkey are a good side. You certainly haven't seen them.

[jec1]

Arda Turan, Sanhi.... Turks have a good offense. I see them beating us 1-0, of Scolari doesn't play a 4-4-2. Quaresma has to start. Ronaldo will get DT and that means Simao will have to carry the workload and he isn't a creative player.

[Forza_Roma]

Originally Posted by Trim

Turkey are a good side. You certainly haven't seen them.

I just don't rate them compared to Portugal. Portugal has something to prove...After being runners up in the Euro 04 and almost reaching the finals of the WC...this is the next step for them and they will be determined.

Turkey is a good team...they tied Italy in a friendly a couple years ago...they scored an own goal. But, still tied us.

[Buddha14]

Im expecting an Upset from Jonny Turks. 1-0 win goal from tuncay

[Trim]

They are good defensively. I remember a friendly against Brazil last year, they were brilliant in defense.

[Daniel24]

PREVIEW-Soccer-Euro-Gomes hunting for more goals against Turkey

NEUCHATEL, Switzerland, June 6 (Reuters) - Another two-goal winning performance from striker Nuno Gomes against Turkey would suit Portugal fine in their Euro 2008 opener at 1845 GMT on Saturday.

Nuno Gomes, who is expected to lead the line in the Group A game in Geneva, struck twice to give Portugal a 2-0 win over the Turks when they last met, in the Euro 2000 quarter-finals.

The result had other ramifications because coach Fatih Terim, now in charge of Turkey but then about to join Fiorentina, signed the Portuguese striker for the Italian team.

The two, who have a strong mutual respect for each other, meet again but on opposite sides as Portugal look to win a trophy they have edged ever closer to over the last 12 years.

Portugal, quarter-finalists in England in 1996, reached the 2000 semi-finals with that win over Turkey, and then the final when they hosted the tournament four years ago, only to become the victims of giant-killers Greece.

With Cristiano Ronaldo, then a raw if very talented teenager but now arguably Europe’s top player, the Portuguese hope to finally lift their first major trophy.

“Like all of us, Ronaldo will defend Portugal up to the last minute of the last game. He knows his importance to the team,” defender Fernando Meira told a news conference on Thursday.

First, they must make a better start than in 2004 on home soil when they were upset in their opening match—an ominous earlier defeat by the Greeks.

“We have to make a winning start although I don’t agree with those who believe that whichever team wins this match will be practically in the quarter-finals,” said goalkeeper Ricardo.

ALL FIT

Standing in Portugal’s way is Terim, whose high rating outside his country took him from Fiorentina to AC Milan, and his strongly committed Turkish team.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has a fit squad after the minor scare when Ronaldo had to put ice on a knock on his right ankle during training on Monday, the squad’s first day in Switzerland.

Midfielder Deco, also expected to play, did light training apart from the rest of the squad on Thursday for muscle toning purposes, team doctor Henrique Jones told reporters.

“However, I can guarantee he will be 100 percent for the first game against Turkey,” he said.

The Turks, making their first appearance at a major tournament since finishing third at the 2002 World Cup, are also injury free going into the match.

Midfielder Hamit Altintop, who was out for two months after breaking a metatarsal bone in a friendly against Belarus in March, has declared himself fit despite suffering a muscle problem in training last week.

PREVIEW-Soccer-Euro-Gomes hunting for more goals against Turkey - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

[Trim]

Turkey not afraid of Ronaldo

English champion, Champions League winner, and now the EURO 2008 title? Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo could win his third important title in a few weeks' time.

First opponents Turkey stay calm ahead of their first game in group A (Saturday, 20:45 in Geneva), however. "We're not afraid of him", Hamit Altintop insists.

The Bayern midfielder is the only Bundesliga player in his Turkey's squad, Portugal rely on Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen) and Fernando Meira (VfB Stuttgart).

Scolari: "We're better than 2006"

The focus is on Ronaldo, however, but the Portuguese star had recently got his nerves when he missed penalties in the Champions League against both Barcelona and Chelsea.

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari insists that the 2004 hosts are not a one-man team. "We're better than 2006. But we have to apply to team spirit. If we don't manage to be a team we'll win nothing."

Turks want revenge

Turkey are out for revenge. They had missed out on the last two major tournaments. At the 2002 World Cup their way ended in the semi-final against Brazil - coached by Scolari back then.

In their last two EUROs the Turks had lost to Portugal twice, now they want more. "The quarter-final would be a success", Altintop says.

Line-ups as expected:

Portugal: 1 Ricardo - 4 Bonsingwa, 15 Pepe, 16 Ricardo Carvalho, 2 Paulo Ferreira - 20 Deco, 8 Petit, 10 Joao Mutinho - 7 Cristiano Ronaldo, 21 Nuno Gomes, 11 Simao

Turkey: 23 Volkan Demirel - 20 Sabri Sarioglu, 4 Gökhan Zan, 2 Servet, 3 Hakan Balta - 7 Mehmet Aurelio - 21 Mevlüt Erdinc, 22 Hamit Altintop, 5 Emre, 17 Tuncay - 8 Nihat

Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany)

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

[jec1]

My prediction: Turkey 1- Portugal -0

[z187]

I believe they are expecting rainfall at the game tomorrow.

I predict Portugal 1-0 Turkey

Ricardo Quaresma off the bench to score

[BlackNess]

The ref:

[lionel]

if turkey don't get at least a draw they are out imo because they won't beat the swiss (while portugal will).

it would be much harder for portugal than you guys are predicting. it's true that portugal are some levels above turkey but turkey have quality and their excellent defence and skill in attack will cause alot of trouble and I won't be too surprised if they win here.

I hope to see quaresma at his best.

is deco on the plans for the line-up? because he was missing in the line-up daniel posted...