Portugal won Group F with a game to spare at Uefa Euro 2024 as Premier League pair Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva scored in a commanding win over Turkiye to give the Selecao a second win from two matches at the finals.
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo pounced on a delivery from Nuno Mendes to net for the first time at a major international tournament with 21 minutes played.
Samet Akaydin scored a calamitous own goal seven minutes later, turning a pass from outside the penalty area past the helpless Altay Bayindir after failing to check his goalkeeper’s position.
Bernardo Silva with his first ever goal in a major international tournament 🤩
The Man City star opens the scoring for Portugal 🇵🇹#Euro2024 | #TURPOR pic.twitter.com/1DmrOztjX2
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 22, 2024
Manchester United playmaker Fernandes swept in the close-range third from Cristiano Ronaldo’s pass ten minutes after half-time, affording the 2016 champions a chance to rest players when they face Georgia in their final group-stage game on Wednesday.
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Portugal v Turkiye: Result sends Selecao through
After a testing opener against Czechia, falling behind and only prevailing through a 92nd-minute winner, Portugal could scarcely have asked for an easier evening against opponents who had been expected to cause them problems.
Turkiye matched Portugal’s three attempts on target but finished with an expected goals tally of 0.65, while the team considered by many to be contenders for the title finished on 1.83.
Bernardo’s unerring finish seemed to have inspired a response from Vincenzo Montella’s players, only for Akaydin’s dreadful error to roll past stand-in goalkeeper Bayindir, who scrambled back in a vain attempt to claw the ball off the line.
You don’t see that very often 🫣
Portugal double their advantage in very bizarre circumstance 🇵🇹#Euro2024 | #TURPOR pic.twitter.com/zNdpga7VW1
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 22, 2024
Once Ronaldo had raced clear and set up Fernandes for the third, a procession was on the cards – although Portugal missed out on eclipsing their three-goal largest margin of Euro victory.
Perhaps the only blip for Portugal was a second yellow card of the tournament for simulation for winger Rafael Leao, leading his head coach, Roberto Martinez, to remonstrate with the officials.
There was also concern over several pitch invasions. An initial encroachment by a child eager for Ronaldo’s autograph appeared endearing, but the game was held up on several occasions as full time neared by other intruders keen to pull stunts.
Portugal group standings
Having beaten Georgia 2-1 in their opening game, Turkiye remain in contention to advance but need a point against Czechia in their decider at the same time as Portugal play Georgia.
Portugal will play the best third-placed team from Group A, B or C in the last 16 in Frankfurt on July 1. Those teams are currently Scotland, Albania and Slovenia, although that is highly susceptible to change after the third matchday.
