Portugal 2 Turkey 0: Ronaldo and Scolari stick to the plot
Monday 09 June 2008
Latest in International
On Facebook
Sport blogs
iBet: Stoke face a Valencia side on form
Stoke have lost their last four in the league and play a Valencia side that's third in La Liga.
Rugby League: World Club Challenge raises profits, and eyebrows
After 40-odd years of watching and writing about this game, I thought I had my eyebrows under contro...
iBet: AC Milan’s lead at the top looks temporary
Juventus lost the lead of Serie A in Italy at the weekend by virtue of their game with Bologne being...
For an hour, the suspicion was that long-running sub-plots would overshadow live drama. Each time Luiz Felipe Scolari emerged to lambast his Portugal team, as he did with increasing irritation, it brought to mind Chelsea's interest in the Brazilian manager. And, inevitably, Cristiano Ronaldo's every move was scrutinised as that of a possible Real Madrid player.
Fortunately, a splendidly-constructed opener from Pepe, the only member of the Portugal back four not enlisted by Chelsea, and a second from Raul Meireles ensured that by the finish the talk was focused more on Scolari winning a European Championship and Ronaldo becoming the player of the tournament.
Until Pepe jemmied open the contest with a goal started by Ronaldo, the Brazilian-born Real Madrid central defender scoring after a a fine one-two with his captain, Nuno Gomes, the group favourites appeared in danger of repeating their failing of four years ago and losing their first game. Before then, despite Ronaldo forcing a splendid save from Volkan Demirel, who touched his venomous free-kick on to the far post, and Gomes striking the woodwork, it appeared as if Turkey's last-ditch challenges and offside snare, into which Scolari's men too frequently fell, could prove effective.
Whatever the words of Scolari at half-time, they produced a response. Portugal raced through the gears and Fatih Terim's team were, eventually, brushed aside.
Ronaldo can be trusted to maintain the standards he has set at Old Trafford. He was given the captain's armband when Gomes was substituted, Scolari explaining: "I gave Cristiano the captaincy to give him strength and motivation." He revelled in a more advanced role.
Deco impressed, as did Joao Moutinho. If there is a concern, it is that Gomes alone up front is not a solution to the problem position of striker.
Scolari said: "We need six points so 50 per cent after one match is excellent. "We wanted some breathing space, and we got that."
No such luck for Ronaldo, though. The questioning began again. "I still don't know where I will play, I have not decided yet," he said. "I cannot worry about this, so I am calm." Too damn calm for Portugal's opponents.
Goals: Pepe (61) 1-0; Meireles (90) 2-0.
Portugal (4-2-3-1): Ricardo (Real Betis); Bosingwa (Chelsea), Pepe (Real Madrid), Carvalho (Chelsea), Ferreira (Chelsea); Petit (Benfica), Moutinho (Sporting Lisbon); Ronaldo (Manchester United), Deco (Barcelona), Simao (Atletico Madrid); Gomes (Benfica). Substitutes used: Meireles (Porto) for Simao, 63; Nani (Manchester United) for Gomes, 69; Meira (VfB Stuttgart) for Deco, 90
Turkey (4-3-3): Volkan (Fenerbahce); Altintop (Bayern Munich), Servet (Galatasaray), Gokhan (Besiktas), Hakan (Galatasaray); Kazim-Richards (Fenerbahce), Emre (Fenerbahce), Aurelio (Fenerbahce); Erdinc (Sochaux), Nihat (Villarreal), Tuncay (Middlesbrough). Substitutes used: Sabri Sarioglu (Galatasaray) for Erdinc, 46; Emre Asik (Galatasaray) for Gokhan, 55; Semih Senturk (Fenerbahce) for Altintop, 76.
Referee: H Fandel (Germany).
Booked: Turkey Kazim-Richards, Gokhan, Sabri Sarioglu.
Man of the match: Ronaldo.
Attendance: 31,000.
- 1 Ferguson: Giggs can be the man to replace me
- 2 Wolves: The contenders to replace Mick McCarthy
- 3 Basketball: The incredible story of Jeremy Lin, the new superstar of the NBA
- 4 Wenger's dream left in tatters by Milan
- 5 Rangers future could be bright says administrator
- 6 James Lawton: Arsène and Arsenal are living in the past
- 7 Like a dog? I actually treated Tevez too well, growls Mancini
- 1 Ninety gaffes in ninety years
- 2 Spotify: 1 million plays, £108 return
- 3 Apple admits it has a human rights problem
- 4 Rothschild loses libel case, and reveals secret world of money and politics
- 5 Rangers future could be bright says administrator
- 6 MP faces charges over Nazi stag night
- 7 Six Grammys, five years off: Adele puts love before career
- 8 No secularism please, we're British
- 9 Mark Steel: If religion is 'marginal', I'm the Pope
- 10 Lightning kills an entire football team
Free trial of new Independent iPad app
Get your daily dose of the best of British journalism, sponsored by American Airlines
Win a three-week coastal jaunt
Spend three weeks exploring every nook and cranny of gorgeous Atlantic Canada.
Amazing restaurant offers
Three glasses of free champagne and a special menu at 46 top London restaurants.
Latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Career Services
Day In a Page
How an abortion divided America
Did they all live happily ever after? That's up to you...






Comments