Portugal Secure Knockout Stage Spot with 3-0 Victory Over Turkey.
Portugal cruised to a 3-0 win over Turkey in Dortmund, securing their place in the knockout stages of UEFA Euro 2024 with a game to spare. A calamitous own goal was pivotal in a match that saw Turkey suffer their fourth Euros defeat to the 2016 champions without scoring a goal.
Turkey made four changes to their starting line-up from their opening win over Georgia, including the introduction of goalkeeper Altay Bayındır. He was tested almost immediately when Cristiano Ronaldo caught Bernardo Silva’s cross sweetly on the volley. Another change, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, failed to make an impact, missing a close-range opportunity from Zeki Çelik’s cross just five minutes later.
Portugal capitalised midway through the first half when Rafael Leão and Nuno Mendes combined on the left. Mendes’ low cross found Bernardo Silva, who calmly guided the ball past Bayındır to give Portugal the lead. The advantage was doubled in comical fashion seven minutes later. Samet Akaydin misjudged a backpass intended for Bayındır, sending the ball trickling over the line just before the scrambling Çelik could clear it.
Aktürkoğlu nearly responded for Turkey, but Diogo Costa denied him at the near post. Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo both missed opportunities to extend Portugal’s lead before the break. However, just ten minutes into the second half, Portugal capitalised on more poor Turkish defending. Ronaldo was played onside by a sloppy back line, allowing him to latch onto Rúben Neves’ long ball. Ronaldo drew the goalkeeper before squaring the ball to Fernandes, who tapped it into an empty net.
Even the introduction of young Turkish sensation Arda Güler failed to alter the outcome. Content with their advantage, Roberto Martinez’s men sat back and thwarted any hopes of a late Turkish consolation. Portugal remain unbeaten in the Euros against a team ranked outside the top 20 since losing the 2004 final. Meanwhile, a draw in Turkey’s final group match against Czechia will be enough for them to reach the knockout rounds for the first time in 16 years.
