Martinez’s Portgual on an ideal six factors, will face one of many 4 greatest third-place finishers within the subsequent spherical.
Portugal swept into the final 16 of Euro 2024 on Saturday after comfortably seeing off Turkey 3-0 and guaranteeing first place in Group F.
Bernardo Silva’s effective end within the twenty first minute, a comical Samet Akaydin personal aim shortly afterwards and Bruno Fernandes’s second-half tap-in gave Portugal a simple win in entrance of swathes of passionate Turkish followers in Dortmund.
Portugal appeared each inch a workforce aiming to win their second European Championship after triumphing in 2016, their star-studded line-up simply coping with Vincenzo Montella’s enthusiastic however restricted Turkey workforce.
Cristiano Ronaldo can have not less than two extra tries to turn into the oldest goalscorer at a European Championship as Martinez stated on Friday that the 39-year-old is in the precise form to play each 4 days.
It was Ronaldo who unselfishly arrange Fernandes for a easy aim within the 56th minute after springing by way of Turkey’s offside entice, and he then had time to pose for a selfie with a toddler fan who invaded the pitch halfway by way of the second half.
Martinez’s facet, on an ideal six factors, will face one of many 4 greatest third-place finishers within the subsequent spherical and go into their last group recreation in opposition to Georgia with none strain for a end result.
The similar can’t be stated for Turkey who want a draw in opposition to the Czech Republic on Wednesday to make sure second place.
Turkey’s passionate assist once more flocked to the Westfalenstadion in enormous numbers, with lengthy tailbacks on the roads resulting in the bottom a number of hours earlier than the 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) kick-off.
Some followers sat on the highest of vehicles main chants among the many 1000’s of supporters who crawled in the direction of their vacation spot.
– Pitch invaders –
Once inside what was successfully a house crowd let loose a deafening refrain of whistles and jeers when Portugal jogged out for his or her pre-match warm-up.
However, as soon as the match acquired underway there was a transparent hole at school between the 2 sides and Portugal went deservedly forward by way of Silva because the Manchester City midfielder confidently smashed in Nuno Mendes’s deflected low cross.
Soon after, Akaydin gifted Portugal a two-goal lead along with his sloppy backpass which turned into an personal aim as Zeki Celik and goalkeeper Altay Bayindir tried in useless to forestall the ball crossing the road.
Those two targets and the dominance of the Portuguese gamers quietened down the partisan crowd and the end result was sealed when Fernandes stroked house his former Manchester United teammate Ronaldo’s current of a move.
The Portugal followers then turned up the quantity to have fun their nation reaching the final 16.
And cheers then rang across the floor from each units of supporters as a pint-sized fan ran onto the pitch halfway by way of the second half, simply as the sport was stopped to permit Nelson Semedo to exchange Joao Cancelo for Portugal.
The teenager was cool sufficient to seize an amused Ronaldo for a photograph and then dashed off on a mazy run his hero would have been pleased with, dropping his shoulder on safety workers earlier than ultimately being carted away from the pitch.
Ronaldo was much less amused when 5 a lot bigger followers then made copycat bids for selfies, solely to be showered with boos and refused a photograph earlier than aggravated stewards reached them.
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