Portugal eyes quick route to last 8
NEUCHATEL, Switzerland: Group A favorites Portugal or Czech Republic could on Wednesday become the first team to book a place in the Euro 2008 quarterfinals.
Portugal, which impressively beat Turkey 2-0 in its opening match, and the Czechs, less than convincing 1-0 winners of the tournament opener against co-host Switzerland on Saturday, meet at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva.
"Our idea is to play to win and go through," said Portugal playmaker Deco.
It is in midfield that the Czechs will have to make a big improvement if they are to compete with the lively creative partnership of Deco and Joao Moutinho.
"It was good (linking with Moutinho) ... Every day he's more mature. It was easy combining with him," the 54-cap Deco said of his 21-year-old teammate, who made his 14th appearance for Portugal on Saturday.
Czech Republic won the teams' only previous European Championships meeting 1-0 in the Euro 96 quarterfinals in England.
They would have met in the final four years ago in Lisbon but for the giant-killing exploits of eventual winner Greece.
At the 2006 World Cup, the Portuguese reached the semifinals whereas the Czechs suffered a disappointment they will not want to repeat, winning their opening match only to lose the next two and fail to get out of their group.
Goalkeeper Petr Cech could prove to be Portugal's biggest obstacle although the Czech back four can also form a formidable barrier.
Portugal has no injury worries and it is also back to 23 men following the arrival on Sunday of goalkeeper Nuno Espirito Santo to replace the injured Quim as Ricardo's understudy, but coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is unlikely to make changes.
Brueckner, who can also choose from a full squad, said the team needed improvements in a midfield lacking the creativity of the absent Tomas Rosicky.
"We didn't manage to get the ball to (Jan) Koller and because of that we pretty much kept him out of the game," Brueckner told reporters, before hinting he may shuffle things around a bit. "A winning lineup can change."
He could pick Marek Matejovsky in the playmaking role in place of David Jarolim.
Brueckner may also be tempted to put out a two-pronged attack with Saturday's match-winning substitute Vaclav Sverkos or Euro 2004 top scorer Milan Baros playing alongside Koller.
Agencies
(China Daily 06/11/2008 page24)
