Portugal Soccer

Germany edged by Austria today 1-0.  That will leave Portugal with a quarterfinals match-up against the team favored to win the entire UEFA Euro 2008 soccer championship.  The game will face an interesting match-up between Chelsea’s new coach, Scolari, and Chelsea / Germany midfielder Michael Ballack.  A surprising twist with the top two teams ready to face each other early.  The favored team will not be playing close to the top of its game and the Portuguese will be playing only their second game after the official decision of Scolari to lead the Premier league team Chelsea.

As had been rumored, news began pouring out surrounding the move of coach of Portugal’s national team, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s move to Chelsea. As most of us expected, the primary difference keeping Scolari from signing with the National soccer squad again came down to money. Scolari also happened to mention that he did not want to coach for much more than 4-5 years. It has yet to be seen how this will effect the Portugal soccer team in the UEFA Euro 2008 matches. I don’t give much credence to reports that it was what took the team off task versus Switzerland today, but if Portugal loses in the quarterfinals with a half-hearted effort, one has to wonder…

In a soccer game that really didn’t mean a whole lot, Switzerland saved some face and Portugal … well … showed up.  Hakan Yakin netted two goals for the Swiss, in less than 13 minutes toward the end of the UEFA Euro 2008 match.  That said, Portugal did have their share of opportunities, thanks mostly to Nani and Postini, but the reserve-heavy line-up could not get anything past the Swiss keeper.  Group A ended with Portugal soccer in first and the upstart Turks taking out Czech Republic, who finished a surprising last in the group.