WARSAW, June 22: Cristiano Ronaldo, revelling in the showman role that has become his natural domain, again underlined his billing as the outstanding individual talent of Euro 2012 at the National Stadium here on Thursday.
Ronaldo teased and tormented the dazed Czech Republic to distraction and after twice hitting the post, he finally darted in from behind his marker in the 79th minute with all the instincts of an all out striker and headed a cross from Joao Moutinho straight at the ground and up past the flailing hands of Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech, sending Portugal into the semi-finals with a 1-0 victory.
It was just reward after another starring performance from the Real Madrid man against opponents who failed to register a single shot on target and were hindered by the absence of injured playmaker Tomas Rosicky.
“We had the quality to pass into the semi-finals,” said Ronaldo. “We had a lot of opportunities. The Czechs did not have any — that's a great game.
“We are happy but know the next match will be difficult but the team is very mature and we are ready!”
Portugal, who are in the semi-finals of a European Championship for the third time in the last four tournaments, set up a clash with holders Spain or France in Donetsk on Wednesday. “I think we have showed quality and consistency,” said Portugal coach Paulo Bento. “We had the capacity to react. We switched well from defence to attack.”
With Ronaldo again in irrepressible form after running the Netherlands ragged and scoring twice in their final group stage game, Portugal look set for a bold bid to emulate their run to the 2004 final on home soil, before Greece spoiled the Portuguese party with a shock victory.
“It doesn't matter who will be our opponents, be it France or Spain,” Bento added. “We will do the best to reach our goal.” Czech coach Michal Bilek admitted graciously that his side had been outclassed.
“The Portuguese were the best side, much stronger in the footballing sense,” saoid the 47-year-old. “Their attack is very strong.
Cech pulled off some stunning saves to keep us in the game.
“We had wanted to play with a solid defence and rely on the counter-attack, but we started to run out of energy during the second-half.”
As is so often the case in knock-out matches in big tournaments, the first half was a cagey affair.
Portugal struggled to string two passes together while centre-backs Pepe and Bruno Alves resorted to lumping long aimless balls up the field.
In first-half injury time, Ronaldo deadened a cross from Raul Meireles on his chest, turned and with two touches set up a right-foot shot that had Cech beaten before it crashed against the near post.In the 49th, Ronaldo clipped the post with a 25-metre free-kick as pressure immediately increased in a match where the Czechs seemed to be looking for little else than a rare counterattack ahead of a penalty shootout.
By then, Ronaldo had hit the post four times in two games. And when he finally scored and was mobbed by his team-mates, he went over to the camera with a beaming smile for a victory kiss to the rest of the world.—Agencies