Portugal vs Belgium: Portugal cruise into knockout stages: Portugal secured their spot in the Euro 2024 round of 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Turkey in Dortmund on Saturday. The Portuguese, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, who is aiming for his sixth Euro appearance, demonstrated their championship credentials with a dominant display in front of an enthusiastic crowd, clinching the top spot in Group F.
Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva opened the scoring midway through the first half, capitalizing on a deflected Nuno Mendes cross to sweep the ball home. Portugal then extended their lead in bizarre fashion just before the half-hour mark when a misjudged backpass by Turkey’s Samet Akaydin eluded goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and crossed the goal line despite Zeki Celik’s efforts to clear.
In the second half, Ronaldo unselfishly set up Bruno Fernandes for Portugal’s third goal, ensuring a comfortable victory. With wins over the Czech Republic and now Turkey, Portugal has accumulated six points from two matches, securing their group win even before facing Georgia in their final match in Gelsenkirchen.
Manager Roberto Martinez expressed satisfaction with their position and hinted at squad rotation for the next game to provide opportunities to deserving players. Despite not adding to his record-breaking 14 Euro goals in this match, Ronaldo, now playing in Saudi Arabia, remains a central figure in Portugal’s quest for European glory.
Meanwhile, concerns arose during the match as several pitch invaders approached Ronaldo for selfies, initially receiving a positive response but causing visible irritation as their numbers grew. Martinez acknowledged the security lapse and emphasized the need for better control over fan access.
Earlier in the day, Georgia celebrated their first-ever point in a major tournament with a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic, while Belgium revived their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Romania in Cologne. Youri Tielemans scored early for Belgium, followed by Kevin De Bruyne’s goal late in the game, securing a crucial win after their opening defeat to Slovakia.
Belgium’s victory keeps their hopes alive in Group E, where Romania’s initial momentum from a big win over Ukraine was halted by a determined Belgian side.
