The Quarter Finals of the Euro Cup 2012 kicks off Thursday when Portugal takes on the Czech Republic.
Portugal was expected to be here prior to the tournament, but somehow got off to the wrong start against Germany. They followed up a 1-0 loss with a more convincing 3-2 win, but there were still lingering doubts about whether this team was for real. They dominated the opening half, but then blew a 2-0 lead. They found a way to win in the waning moments, but questions about their defensive abilities remained. However the elephant in the room was the play of Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo who was madly inconsistent through the two games. He created chances but was unable to finish them when necessary.
Ronaldo got the monkey off his back in the big game against Netherlands by score not one, but two goals when his team was trailing 1-0 and being badly outplayed. Ronaldo had the game of his life in Portuguese uniform, but the rest of the team rallied around their captain to put together a tremendous defensive effort that saw the Dutch superstars crumble.
The Czech Republic was supposed to be a potential runner-up in Group A. After a 4-1 loss to Russia, the outlook looked bleak. However, they answered back with two goals in the opening six minutes against Greece and have never looked back. They won Group A on virtue of a 1-0 win over Poland and a loss from Russia.
Key Player of the Match
Who else? Cristiano Ronaldo will garner the most attention from the Czech defense. It would not be a stretch to state that Ronaldo will be the deciding factor in this match. If he plays like he did against the Dutch, this is going to be painful for Czech fans to watch. However, if they can contain him and frustrate him, the Portuguese offense will have to work three times harder against a team that has tightened defensively after imploding in its first match.
Portugal Wins If...
It replicates its effort against Netherlands. Tight and aggressive defense; control of the midfield; and Ronaldo plays like Ronaldo. They need to avoid the lapses experienced against Denmark because the Czechs have proven to be able to penetrate tight defenses (Greece).
Czech Republic Wins If...
They contain Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal can score, but Ronaldo is the catalyst for their offense. If he is taken out of the picture, the Czech's job becomes much easier. Part of doing that will be to attack the Portuguese defense aggressively. If they can put Portugal back on its heels, they will force Ronaldo to spend more time in his half. He has lightning speed, but if he is forced to run back and forth constantly, it will diminish his effectiveness in later minutes.
Prediction: Portugal wins 3-0. An early goal from Portugal gets the Czechs nervous. Ronaldo has another strong game and the MVP chants get started.
Remaining Matches:
June 22: Germany Vs. Greece 2:45 ET
June 23: Spain Vs. France 2:45 ET
June 24: England Vs. Italy 2:45 ET