Pepe prepared for bigger battles
June 16, 2008 at 8:24 pm | In Portugal | 2 CommentsTags: Bruno Alves, Carvalho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Fernando Meira, Pepe, Portugal
Pepe said Portugal were not too unhappy with Sunday’s performance in Basel despite losing their 100 per cent record in UEFA EURO 2008™ to co-hosts Switzerland.
Match fitness
Luiz Felipe Scolari named a starting XI with eight changes for the final Group A game at St. Jakob-Park, and an unfamiliar side, shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco among others, were beaten by two second-half goals from Hakan Yakin. However, Pepe said the success of the night was getting all the squad involved: “It wasn’t possible to win but Scolari had another objective which was to give the other players who hadn’t played as much some match time.”
Kuhn overcome as players say goodbye
June 16, 2008 at 8:10 am | In Portugal, Switzerland | Leave a CommentTags: coach, Kobi Kuhn, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Portugal, Switzerland
Köbi Kuhn was “touched” by the show of gratitude his players made when they unfurled a banner saying “Merci Köbi” after the 2-0 defeat of Portugal that signalled the end of his seven-year spell as Switzerland coach. His mood contrasted with that of counterpart Luiz Felipe Scolari who said he had “made a mistake” not replacing all eleven players in his side, rather than eight, for this Group A finale. Fernando Meira, Miguel, Paulo Ferreira and Jorge Ribeiro were all booked, leaving Scolari concerned about the impact that might have in the knockout phase.
Wide boys give Portugal swagger
June 16, 2008 at 8:00 am | In Portugal | Leave a CommentTags: Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Eusebio, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Portugal, Ricardo Quaresma, Ronaldo, Simao, Sporting Clube de Portugal
When Portugal legend Eusébio suggested in recent days that his beloved national team were lacking a true centre-forward, it was hard to feel too much sympathy. This after all is the country that has the free-scoring Cristiano Ronaldo – one indeed that ‘does’ world-class wingers in the same way the Swiss do cheese and clocks. Ronaldo famously came from the academy at Sporting Clube de Portugal, arguably Europe’s finest finishing school for wide talents given the names that have rolled off the production line – Luís Figo, Simão and Ronaldo, to name three.
Yakin goals send hosts out on high – Switzerland 2-0 Portugal
June 15, 2008 at 9:15 pm | In Switzerland | Leave a CommentTags: Portugal, Switzerland
Co-hosts Switzerland brought the curtain down on their UEFA EURO 2008™ campaign with a stirring performance at St. Jakob Park, signing off with a victory thanks to two second-half goals from Hakan Yakin.
Pride restored
Though it was not enough to take them off the bottom of Group A, the win restored pride in a side who had been left with little else to play for after opening the tournament with successive defeats. Yakin struck on 71 minutes then again from the penalty spot with seven minutes left. Prior to that, a second-string Portugal team – featuring only three starters from their previous victory – had made enough chances to win the game, although they should be back at full strength when they return here for Thursday’s quarter-final.
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