match 1:
Basel - St. Jakob-Park - Switzerland
SWITZERLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
Svěrkoš 71
Entertainment value: 3.5 / 5
match 2:
Stade de Geneve - Geneva - Switzerland
PORTUGAL 2-0 TURKEY
Pepe 61
Raul Meireles 90(+3)
EV: 3.5 / 5
What better way to kick off the tournament with 2 games of open flowing football. Perhaps the desire to earn a result paved the way in lieu of 'Greek' football that won 4 years ago, but all 4 teams respected how football should be played and all of them deserved to obtain something.
Unfortunately for the hosts and the Turks, both favourites start on the right note. They matched the favourites from start to finish but quality shone through with 3 well-taken goals. That all the goals came in the second half does not belie the way the 2 games were played as up till then it could have gone either way. In fact, the Swiss and the Turks kept on pressing for the equaliser though it did not come in the end.
For the Czechs and Portugese, their wins should be customary enough to see them through. All they have to do is beat the Turks and the Swiss respectively.
The Czechs were made to work hard for the result but with Cech in supreme goalkeeping form, it bodes well for their future in the tournament. Grygera was finding lots of chances to get forward from right back as the Swiss struggled on their left flank but with other opponents Grygera will not be so freestyling.
For the Portugese, I am not surprised to see how the lone striker, Nuno Gomes could not get a sniff at goal. As at Man Utd, I find that Ronaldo was simply a little selfish with an eye for goal too often and hardly provided service to Gomes. I am a little surprised that Quaresma was not involved at all as I felt he could have been the pauper to Ronaldo's prince status but such is Ronaldo's profile at the moment. With Simao also in the side, Quaresma may not be indispensable after all.
Basel - St. Jakob-Park - Switzerland
SWITZERLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
Svěrkoš 71
Entertainment value: 3.5 / 5
match 2:
Stade de Geneve - Geneva - Switzerland
PORTUGAL 2-0 TURKEY
Pepe 61
Raul Meireles 90(+3)
EV: 3.5 / 5
What better way to kick off the tournament with 2 games of open flowing football. Perhaps the desire to earn a result paved the way in lieu of 'Greek' football that won 4 years ago, but all 4 teams respected how football should be played and all of them deserved to obtain something.
Unfortunately for the hosts and the Turks, both favourites start on the right note. They matched the favourites from start to finish but quality shone through with 3 well-taken goals. That all the goals came in the second half does not belie the way the 2 games were played as up till then it could have gone either way. In fact, the Swiss and the Turks kept on pressing for the equaliser though it did not come in the end.
For the Czechs and Portugese, their wins should be customary enough to see them through. All they have to do is beat the Turks and the Swiss respectively.
The Czechs were made to work hard for the result but with Cech in supreme goalkeeping form, it bodes well for their future in the tournament. Grygera was finding lots of chances to get forward from right back as the Swiss struggled on their left flank but with other opponents Grygera will not be so freestyling.
For the Portugese, I am not surprised to see how the lone striker, Nuno Gomes could not get a sniff at goal. As at Man Utd, I find that Ronaldo was simply a little selfish with an eye for goal too often and hardly provided service to Gomes. I am a little surprised that Quaresma was not involved at all as I felt he could have been the pauper to Ronaldo's prince status but such is Ronaldo's profile at the moment. With Simao also in the side, Quaresma may not be indispensable after all.