UEFA EURO 2024 – Group F
Turkey………0
Portugal……3
Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes found the back of the net as Portugal secured their spot in the UEFA EURO 2024 knockout stages with a match to spare. With a dominant 3-0 victory against Türkiye in Dortmund, Portugal has advanced to the knockout stages of UEFA EURO 2024 with one game remaining, securing the top spot in Group F.
Portugal faced a tough challenge against Czechia on Matchday 1, but this time they quickly took control of the game. With Vitinha orchestrating the play, they dictated the tempo, and in the 21st minute, they took the lead when Nuno Mendes’ deflected cut-back was calmly finished by Bernardo Silva.
Their lead doubled in an unfortunate manner for Türkiye. João Palhinha’s attempted through ball didn’t raise many concerns, but with goalkeeper Altay Bayındır advancing without sight, Samet Akaydin’s back pass triggered the warning signal – albeit too late, despite a desperate scramble.
Altay Bayındır, one of the four changes made by Turkey after their victory against Georgia, found himself retrieving the ball from his net once again in the 56th minute. This time, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who cleverly evaded the offside trap and selflessly passed to Bruno Fernandes. Despite their efforts, the Crescent-Stars couldn’t turn the tide, and the outcome of the game was already decided.
Following their triumphant start to the EURO tournament, Turkey now faces a defeat that matches their most significant loss in the competition. However, if they secure a draw against Czechia on Wednesday, they will still progress to the knockout stages alongside Portugal. The Portuguese team’s victory maintains their flawless record of advancing from the group stage.
Line-ups
Turkey: Altay Bayındır; Zeki Çelik, Samet Akaydin (Demiral 75), Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu; Orkun Kökçü (Yusuf Yazıcı 46), Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kaan Ayhan (İsmail Yüksek 58); Yunus Akgün (Arda Güler 70), Yılmaz, Aktürkoğlu (Yıldız 58)
Portugal: Diogo Costa; João Cancelo (Semedo 68), Rúben Dias, Pepe (António Silva 83), Nuno Mendes; João Palhinha (Rúben Neves 46), Vitinha (João Neves 88), Bruno Fernandes; Rafael Leão (Pedro Neto 46), Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva
