Turkey v Portugal LIVE: Result and reaction as Cristiano Ronaldo’s side win Group F at Euro 2024
Turkey 0-3 Portugal: Ronaldo set up Bruno Fernandes to seal the win with an unselfish square ball as the Selecao won Group F with a game to spare
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Portugal cruised to a 3-0 win against Turkey and booked their spot in the Euro 2024 last 16 as Group F winners thanks to a Bernardo Silva strike, an own-goal by Samet Akaydin and a Bruno Fernandes tap-in.
Silva scored his first goal in a major international tournament in the 21st minute when a cross from Nuno Mendes deflected off a Turkish defender to find the Manchester City forward ghosting alone in the area, who then smashed it past the goalkeeper to put the Portuguese ahead.
Seven minutes later, Turkish defender Akaydin made a comical mistake as he tried to play the ball back to his goalkeeper who was out of position and there was nothing he could to stop it from rolling into the net despite their desperate attempts to keep it out.
Portugal kept dominating and extended their lead after substitute Ruben Neves set Cristiano Ronaldo free with a long ball to beat the offside line and, after drawing in the goalkeeper, squared the ball for Fernandes who only had to tap it into an empty goal.
The win lifts Portugal to a guaranteed first place in Group F on six points, three ahead Turkey in second and five ahead of Georgia and Czech Republic with one game to go.
Follow the reaction from Turkey v Portugal below - plus the reaction to Georgia v Czech Republic and updates from Belgium v Romania in the day’s late game:
Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne embody the best and worst of Belgium in vital win over Romania
Romelu Lukaku stood with his back not only to goal, but to the raucous mass of crimson behind it. From somewhere within that throng, a plume of red smoke billowed towards the roof of the stadium. It might as well have been a warning to Romania, but just one minute into this critical Euro 2024 clash, they did not have time to heed it.
Lukaku, so often maligned for his endeavours with Belgium, executed his hold-up to perfection, fending off Andrei Burca and cushioning the ball into the stride of Youri Tielemans. The midfielder did the rest, driving the ball low and hard past Florin Nita.
Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne embody the best and worst of Belgium in vital win
Belgium 2-0 Romania: Lukaku provided an assist and Kevin De Bruyne later scored in their must-win game
FT Belgium 2-0 Romania
Kevin De Bruyne was been named Player of the Match.
Uefa’s Technical Observer Panel said: “He made the difference for Belgium as they claimed their first points. Once again, he was the key player for his side.”
FT Belgium 2-0 Romania
Four teams are all locked on three points. Group E is going down to a final day shootout next Wednesday. Here are the two fixtures:
Slovakia vs Romania
Ukraine vs Belgium
Full-time! Belgium 2-0 Romania
90+4 mins: Belgium get the job done!
After a shock defeat to Slovakia in their opening match, Belgium needed to come here and get the win. The consequences of beating Romania mean that all four teams in Group E have three points after two games each.
It will be a nail-biting end to the group stages for all of them. Youri Tielemans and Kevin De Bruyne scored the goals, Belgium take the win and move one step closer to the last-16.
Belgium 2-0 Romania
85 mins: Belgium try to put the game to bed with Leandro Trossard slipped into the box on the right hand side. He holds onto the ball a little too long and his square pass to Lukaku is blocked and cleared.
Belgium 2-0 Romania
82 mins: That goal should be enough for Belgium. There was a VAR check to see whether the goal should stand as De Bruyne was possibly offside.
The result fell Belgium’s way and they have a two goal lead at last.
GOAL! Belgium 2-0 Romania (De Bruyne, 79’)⚽️
79 mins: Has Kevin De Bruyne won this game for Belgium?
A hopeful ball is punted up the pitch by Koen Casteels and drops beautifully for De Bruyne who makes a run in between the centre-backs.
As the ball bounces into the box, De Bruyne beats Florin Nita to it and pokes it into the ground, past the goalkeeper and over the line.
Belgium 1-0 Romania
78 mins: Yannick Carrasco and Orel Mangala have been brought on for Belgium with goalscorer Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku being replaced.
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