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Quarter-Finals

• Sat. 24th June: Game 25
  Turkey - Portugal
  Amsterdam Arena (18:00)

Match Preview:
Portugal have earned the reputation as the Brazilians of Europe, now's the time to prove it.

The Brazilians speak Portuguese and this Portugal side play a flowing game when they're given space to roam in midfield, by past masters like England and Germany, but world beaters they are not -- yet.

Brazil have been World Champions four times and appeared in every World Cup finals. To compare Portugal with Brazil may be a little naive; even with Eusebio, in 1966, Portugal never made it to the final of the World Cup -- losing in the semi final to England.

In the 1984 European Championships, Portugal lost 2-3 to Michel Platini's France -- also in the semi-finals. Beat Turkey today, and they will be in the semi-finals again; maybe against France, if Zidane & Co. beat Spain.

In 1989 and 1991, Portugal won the under-20's title and much has been expected of the senior team. Paulo Sousa, Rui Costa, Luis Figo and Joao Pinto have now all come of age and may be nearing their sell-by date for the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan. Supported by Fernando Couto and Secretaio at the back, the team looks good on paper.

Turkey will look to their Inter Milan bound striker, Hakan Sükür, to catch the Portuguese on the counter. The former Galatasary player, who scored the second penalty against Arsenal (in the UEFA Cup Final) and two goals against co-hosts Belgium, will be eager to add to his tally of two. Tugay is out of the squad; sent home for sulking, after being substituted during the Belgium game.

This is the first time Turkey have reached the knock-out stage, having returned from Euro96 with no points and no goals, and not many people seriously expect them to progress further; apart from the fanatics in Istanbul. Today it's all or nothing.

Statistics to Date:

-- Goals Scored:		-- Bookings:
Turkey: (3) Hakan Sükür (2) Okan Buruk (1)	Portugal: (7) Sergio Conçeiçao (3) Francisco da Costa (1) Luis Figo (1) Nuno Gomes (1) Joao Pinto (1)	Turkey: Red Cards: (none) Yellow Cards: (2) Tayfur (1) Suat (1)	Portugal: Red Cards: (none) Yellow Cards: (3) Vitor Baia (1) Luis Figo (1) Beto Severo (1)

Turkey Team:
1-Rustu Recber,
2-Tayfur Havutcu, 3-Ogun Temizkanoglu, 4-Fatih Akyel, 5-Alpay, 20-Hakan Unsal,
7-Okan Buruk, 11-Tayfun Korkut, 16-Ergun Penbe,
6-Arif Erdem, 9-Hakan Sukur.

Portugal Team:
1-Vitor Baia,
5-Fernando Couto, 2-Jorge Costa, 13-Dimas,
10-Rui Costa, 15-Costinha, 7-Luis Figo, 11-Sergio Conceicao,
17-Paulo Bento, 8-Joao Pinto, 21-Nuno Gomes.

Referee: Dick Jol (Holland)

First Half:
Turkey were reduced to ten men half an hour into the game and had a penalty saved in the last seconds of 4 minutes stoppage-time added on.

Alpay may consider himself unfortunate to get the red card in an edge of penalty area confusion, but Arif will kick himself for not bringing the Turks back into the game.

Turkey had played so valiantly to deny Portugal space around the middle, and it was really against the run of play that Nuno Gomes stooped low to head in a bouncing Figo cross from the right, one minute before the end of normal time.

Why Hakan Sukur never took the penalty, only the Turks will know.
Half-time: 0-1

Second Half:
The game was all over once Portugal scored a second goal, four minutes before the hour.

Luis Figo on the right. Beats Hakan Unsal, who ends up rolling on the floor. Figo brings the ball into the area unchallenged and sets up Nuno Gomes, unmarked at the far post, to tap in his second goal of the game and third of the tournament.

Turkey had their moments but Vitor Baia was always quick to meet them. Even Hakan Unsal's ambitious lob that landed on the roof of the net seemed covered.

Portugal wasted numerous chances as Gomes continually came through the gap where Alpay would have been and the Turkish fans looked miserable. Turkey weren't totally outclassed, but with ten men and a missed penalty it wasn't to be their day.

Result: Turkey 0 -- Portugal 2

Man of the Match: Luis Figo.

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