Fri Jun 6 14:19:32 2008

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Portugal aims for positive start against Turkey

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Neuchatel, Switzerland (Sports Network) - Portugal's last Euro outing came in the 2004 finals, where they suffered one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport, losing 1-0 to Greece.

On Saturday, Portugal will try to erase that memory and begin its Euro 2008 campaign on a positive note with a win over Turkey in the Group A opener for both teams.

The last 12 years has seen Portugal come close in its bid to win a first major tournament, but each time they have come up short. The Portuguese reached the quarterfinals of Euro '96 in England before advancing to the semifinals of Euro 2000. The team then suffered its shocking loss to Greece on home soil in 2004 before getting to the last four of the 2006 World Cup.

Although Portugal will be without three of its main stars in recent years, Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Pauleta, manager Luiz Felipe Scolari feels that star winger Cristiano Ronaldo is capable of stepping forward and picking up where those players left off.

"One day he could well be the sole captain of the Portuguese national team," Scolari told Uefa.com about Ronaldo. "For now he is part of a group of five team captains, with some of the older players in the group. But he has the stature to do it. Whoever the captain was, whether it was Fernando Couto or whoever else, he [Ronaldo] has already assumed positions of responsibility."

One thing Ronaldo will be responsible for is sparking the Portuguese attack, which also includes talented midfielders Deco, Joao Moutinho, Nani, Simao Sabrosa and Ricardo Quaresma.

Nuno Gomes will be the team's top option at striker, and he stands to benefit from all the attention Ronaldo figures to attract.

The Manchester United midfielder has established himself as the top player in the world after scoring 42 goals for the Red Devils this past season, and although he won both the Premiership and Champions League titles with United, he would love nothing more than to add the Euro crown as well.

Portugal is favored to win Group A and should get off to a good start against Turkey, which is making its first appearance in a major tournament since the 2002 World Cup.

Midfielder Hamit Altintop is Turkey's best all-around player while striker Nihat Kahveci is coming off of a 20-goal season for Villarreal in La Liga.

Anything less than three points for Portugal in this match will be disappointing, while Turkey will do well just to get a point.