EURO 2008 Quarter final Round 1 Day 13 19/Jun/08

Portugal v. Germany 2-3
The Portuguese side saw its dreams shattered after the lost against the eventual runners-up Germany. Above all the level of both unfocus and untrust were the main factors towards the end of the Portuguese dream. CR7 failed to deliver the high quality show that has become standard in his games. Certainly for the Iberic side the match ended their aspirations while the mediocre Germany with the attitude that characterizes their game found little ot none opposition towards the goal.
The match began with usual cool movement of the ball by the German side. The Portuguese reluctantly fouhgt the opposition in several ways, all diminished in the search of possesion. At the beginning of the 20' minute a chance from the left was created, which eventually ended on goal. It was Poldi, again, who crossed the ball to find a man-marked Bastian. The ball entered in the near post. The eventual Portuguese declene began with the substitution of the knee-injured Moutinho, the 33'. By that time the second goal came from a Bastian set piece which Klose headed. Portuguese defenses struggled in all the set-pieces. The final part of the first half saw the tremendous pull of the Portuguese side which obviously ended in the net. At th end of the game it was obvious that the "home side" could equalize with some effort.

The match turned the same in the following forty-five minutes. The goal by Michael Ballacj was an insult fro the game. He clearly pushed his team-mate from Chelsea, Ferreira, to gain advantage to score. Of course in football all means necessary to win are valid bu this obne exceeded the record. Bastian Schweinsteiger seems to rose above level when facing Portugal. Two years ago, in the third-place match at the WC, he stunned the Iberic side with three thunderous strikes, one deflected but eventually in goal. Today, one goal and two assists made him earn the player of the match award.
Finally the German pull evidently turned against the will of the Portuguese who at the end of the match wasted at least seven chances, with Nani in the main spot. Tactical changes made the team switched to a 4-3-3, something that proved far from being good. Germany will be at the showdown against an either Croatian side which demolished thenm in the first stage, or the miracle-makers Turkey.