Sunday, June 08, 2008

Portugal 2:0 Turkey; CR hit the bar



Cristiano Ronaldo was again the star of the show as Portugal defeated Turkey 2-0 in Euro 2008 Group A.

Those fearing a tight, tactical battle as is often the case early on in major tournaments would have been highly impressed by Portugal's attacking credentials as they overran their limited opponents, with Ronaldo once again the centre of attention.

He may not have got on the scoresheet - he came mighty close with a superb free-kick which came back off the post - but his ability to ghost past players and bring others into the game was just as crucial for Portugal as his goals have been for Manchester United.

But he was not the only Premier League star who shone, as Chelsea fans got a glimpse of what to expect from their new full-back Jose Bosingwa.

He has pace, power and strength, and looked a threat going forward too and Stamford Bridge punters could be in for a treat next season - Bosingwa could be the man to make the problematic right-back slot his own.

A man who tried, but ultimately failed in that position for the Blues is Paulo Ferreira. He performed solidly at left-back for the Portuguese, although he was never really tested by the Turks.

The same applies to Ricardo Carvalho who was his usual commanding self at the heart of the defence, as his marauding partner Pepe grabbed the headlines by opening the scoring.

Nani briefly shone from the bench for Portugal, but English fans will be hoping to see more of the silky skills of Simao next season.

The winger looks set to leave Porto, with Liverpool and Chelsea linked with a move, and he showed exactly why Europe's top clubs will be keeping an eye on him with some excellent touches and some killer passes.

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