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Euro 2008: Switzerland stun second-string Portugal

Switzerland 2-0 Portugal

Portugal ended the group phase of Euro 2008 in disappointing fashion by crashing to a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland. Two second-half goals from Yakin rewarded a spirited display by the joint hosts.

With first place in the group already guaranteed, Scolari gave Portugal’s back-up players a chance to stake their claim for a berth in the team, making eight changes from the starting XI in the first two matches. But apart from occasional flashes from Nani, none of the other squad players appeared to do enough to change the Brazilian coach’s ideas as to Portugal’s strongest line-up.

In front of a packed crowd at the St Jakob’s Park stadium in Basel, Portugal started brightly. On 8 minutes Ricardo Quaresma produced an outrageous cross by kicking the ball with his right foot behind his left leg, sending a perfect ball onto the head of Postiga who headed narrowly over.

Shortly afterwards Switzerland were lucky not to concede a penalty as Nani was clearly tripped inside the box, but the referee waved play on much to the astonishment of the Manchester United man. Nani then hit a powerful free-kick that Pepe flicked on and the Swiss goalkeeper Zuberbuhler, without knowing quite how, deflected the ball onto the bar.

Lively Nani

Next it was Ricardo who was called into action as the Betis stopper tipped over a tremendous 30-yard strike from Vonlanthen. Back came Portugal, as Nani showed excellent pace and awareness to set up Postiga, but the newly-acquired Sporting striker hit his effort too close to defender Senderos, who managed to block the effort with the keeper beaten.

Paulo Ferreira was then shown a yellow card for an uncharacteristically nasty tackle on Behrami, who required extensive treatment. Not wanting to risk being without the Chelsea full-back for the quarter-final, Scolari replaced Ferreira with Jorge Ribeiro.

Ricardo was forced into action again, diving full-length to keep out Yakin’s header, but in the 36th minute controversy struck as Portugal again were on the end of a poor decision by the officials. The ball was played into Postiga on the edge of the box, and the former Porto forward produced some fine footwork and a clinical left-foot finish, only for the goal to be incorrectly ruled out for offside.

While Portugal could justifiably feel aggrieved at not being ahead at half time, the second 45 minutes was a different story. Switzerland dominated, playing some excellent aggressive football along the way, and will surely be left with a feeling of “what might have been” had they avoided two narrow defeats in their opening two matches.

Denied by woodwork

Nevertheless, it was Portugal who created the first clear chance of the second half, with Veloso releasing Nani, who one-on-one against Zuberbuhler, hit his effort against the post.

But Switzerland were now well on top, and Inler almost put them ahead with a terrific effort from long range that hit the outside of the post. Barnetta then came close, before the Swiss made the breakthrough with a well-worked goal in the 71st minute.

A swinging ball into the box was touched into Yakin’s path delightfully by Derdiyok, and the striker shot through Ricardo’s legs to the joy of the noisy crowd.

Portugal had a good chance to hit back soon after as Quaresma broke down the left flank, but with the Swiss defence all at sea, the Porto man miss-hit his cross.

Switzerland doubled their lead on 82 minutes when Barnetta fell theatrically in the box under a Meira challenge and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Yakin emphatically hammered the ball into the top corner to make the game safe for the Swiss.

Luiz Felipe Scolari will not be overly concerned about the defeat as he prepares the team for a likely quarter-final showdown with Germany. It will be a very different Portugal with the likes of Ronaldo, Deco, Carvalho and Bosingwa back in the starting line-up.

PortuGOAL man of the match – Pepe:
The big Brazilian-born centre-back has made himself undroppable this tournament. Three games, three faultless performances from the Real Madrid man.

Switzerland:
Zuberbuhler, Lichtsteiner (Grichting 85), Muller, Senderos, Magnin, Behrami, Gelson, Inler, Vonlanthen (Barnetta 61), Yakin (Cabanas 86), Derdiyok
Yellow Cards: Yakin, Vonlanthen, Barnetta, Gelson

Portugal:
Ricardo, Miguel, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Ferreira (Jorge Ribeiro 41), Fernando Meira, Veloso (Joao Moutinho 70), Raul Meireles, Quaresma, Postiga (Hugo Almeida 74), Nani
Yellow Cards: Ferreira, Jorge Ribeiro, Fernando Meira, Miguel

Goals:
[1-0] Yakin, 71
[2-0] Yakin, 83 (pen)


Euro 2008 Portugal diary