Portugal easily defeated Turkey 3-0 on Saturday to secure first place in Group F and advance to the Euro 2024 final 16.
In front of large crowds of fervent Turkish supporters in Dortmund, Portugal won easily thanks to a superb finish from Bernardo Silva in the 21st minute, a hilarious own goal from Samet Akaydin shortly after, and Bruno Fernandes’ tap-in goal in the second half.
With their all-star lineup easily handling Vincenzo Montella’s eager but undermanned Turkey squad, Portugal appeared every bit a team looking to win their second European Championship after winning the first one in 2016.
Cristiano Ronaldo will have at least two more tries to become the oldest goalscorer at a European Championship as Martinez said on Friday that the 39-year-old is in the right shape to play every four days.
It was Ronaldo who unselfishly set up Fernandes for a simple goal in the 56th minute after springing through Turkey’s offside trap, and he then had time to pose for a selfie with a child fan who invaded the pitch midway through the second half.
Martinez’s team leads their group by a perfect six points and will play one of the top four teams in third place in the following round. They will also play Georgia in their final group game without any pressure to win.
However, Turkey cannot rest on their laurels; they must draw with the Czech Republic on Wednesday in order to secure the second position.
Many hours before the 6:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) kickoff, Turkey’s fervent supporters descended upon the Westfalenstadion in large numbers, with lengthy tailbacks on the roads leading to the stadium.
As thousands of supporters crawled towards their destination, some fans led chants from the top of cars.
