LISBON, 1 July 2004 — Hosts Portugal advanced to the final of a major soccer tournament for the first time, beating the Netherlands 2-1 last night in the semifinals of the European Championship.
They now await the winners of today’s semifinal between Greece and the Czech Republic.
Cristiano Ronaldo headed in Deco’s corner kick in the 26th minute and was given a yellow card by Swedish referee Anders Frisk for pulling off his shirt in the celebration. Nuno Maniche made it 2-0 when he beat Edwin van der Sar with a 22-yard shot to the far post in the 57th minute, also off a corner kick.
Though the Netherlands got a goal when Portuguese defender Jorge Andrade put the ball past his own goalkeeper, Ricardo Pereira, in the 63rd minute while trying to clear a Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s cross, it was Portugal’s day.
The win was all the more sweet for Portugal, who lost in the semifinals of the World Cup in 1996 and the European Championship in 1984 and 2000.
The Dutch, the European champions in 1988, also were eliminated in the semifinals four years ago, when they were co-hosts.
Portugal, inspired by Luis Figo in his 109th international, took a deserved lead when Ronaldo was inexplicably left unmarked at a Deco corner to power a header past the rooted Edwin van der Sar from close range.
Striker Pauleta, who missed the quarterfinal win over England through suspension, should have buried a Maniche cross after 35 minutes following a great build up but shot straight at Van der Sar, while Figo hit the post with a superb curling effort four minutes before the break.
Dutch coach Dick Advocaat threw on striker Roy Makaay for the second half in place of the ineffective Marc Overmars and attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart for defender Wilfred Bouma in an effort to boost his attack.
It was Portugal who should have scored again, however, when Pauleta shot straight at Van der Sar when clean through.
Maniche showed the center forward how to finish soon after though when he sent a wonderful 20-meter shot arcing beyond Van der Sar following a short corner.
The hosts had gone out at the semifinal stage in the last four European Championships but Portugal ended that run by defending solidly for the remainder of the game to set off another sleepless night for the residents of Lisbon.
Greece Aiming to Take Their Chance Against Czechs
Greece expect to have only a “small chance” to win their Euro 2004 semifinal against favorites the Czech Republic today but are determined to make the most of it, coach Otto Rehhagel said yesterday.
“We’re going into the match tomorrow with a lot of joy, relaxed and happy to be on the pitch,” he told reporters before their final training session at the Dragao stadium. “But we’ll look for our small chance in the game and try to grab it.”
Greece are one win away from becoming the biggest underdogs to reach the European Championship final in the 44-year-history of the competition after becoming the first team to beat the hosts and defending champions in the same European tournament.
After the shock opening game defeat of Portugal, they drew with Spain and lost to Russia to qualify from Group A on goals scored. A quarterfinal victory over champions France marked the country’s biggest football success.
Win or lose against the Czech Republic, the Greeks will leave Portugal victorious, said Rehhagel.
“Whatever happens on Thursday we can return to Greece as winners. But I certainly hope my boys have rested and regrouped and go in to play as they have done in all previous games, with passion and determination.”
Rehhagel will have a full 23-man squad to choose from for the first time since the start of the tournament but he declined to comment on his tactics.
