Ronaldo scores to help Portugal to 3-1 win over Czechs

Ronaldo's 63rd-minute goal, his first for the national team since October, put his team 2-1 up before substitute Ricardo Quaresma rounded off the scoring in injury time.

Portugal moved up to six points and is in a good position to advance from Group A and reach the quarterfinals. The Czechs stayed on three points.

"We are among the best eight squads in Europe," Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. "Of course, we want more than that."

Deco had opened the scoring for Portugal in the eighth, finding the net from close range after an attempted clearance by goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Libor Sionko equalized in the 17th before Ronaldo scored from the edge of the area and Quaresma tapped in from close range.

Ronaldo was also instrumental to Portugal's first goal when he tried to exchange passes with Nuno Gomes. Cech intercepted the return with his leg and redirected it into Deco's path, leaving the diminutive midfielder to force the ball into the net from close range, via a deflection off defender Marek Jankulovski.

"It was very difficult to penetrate the defense," Ronaldo said. "If we're carrying on playing like this as a unit, we've got great chances."

It was Portugal's fourth win in 10 matches against the Czechs, with three losses and three draws.

Led by Scolari, Portugal is trying to reach its second consecutive final at the European Championship. It was runner-up to Greece at Euro 2004 at home. It had another successful campaign at the World Cup in Germany two years later, losing to France in the semifinals.

The Czechs, which reached the 2004 semifinals but also lost to Greece, were hoping for a repeat of Euro 96 when they eliminated Portugal 1-0 in the quarterfinals. They eventually lost the final 2-1 to Germany in what was its best showing since winning the 1976 title as part of the Czechoslovakia.

Both teams were coming off wins in their opening matches. Portugal had a convincing 2-0 victory over Turkey in Geneva, while the Czech Republic edged co-host Switzerland 1-0 in Basel.

Portugal controlled possession but had trouble penetrating the Czechs, who had the first attempt on goal in the third, when Sionko's shot from just outside the area was deflected by defender Pepe. Ronaldo has his first attempt moments later, but his right-footed effort was also blocked.

"He shouted two or three times there," he said. "But that's normal, it's his way of reaching out to the group."

Nuno Gomes came close in the 53rd, overpowering Czech captain Tomas Ujfalusi just inside the area before shooting weakly. The same player had another chance three minutes later when he beat defender David Rozehnal before his right-footed shot was blocked.

Portugal midfielder Simao Sabrosa missed two chances and Ujfalusi put a header just wide before Ronaldo scored at the packed 30,000-seat Stade de Geneve. Deco played a pass across the edge of the area, taking out three defenders, and Ronaldo hit a low shot past Cech.

"I'm happy I was able to score," said Ronaldo, who had not scored a goal in four matches for Portugal since a tournament qualifier at Kazakhstan on Oct. 17.

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Lineups:

Czech Republic: Petr Cech, Zdenek Grygera, Tomas Ujfalusi, David Rozehnal, Marek Jankulovski, Libor Sionko, Jan Polak, Tomas Galasek (Jan Koller, 72), Marek Matejovsky (Stanislav Vlcek, 68), Jaroslav Plasil (David Jarolim, 86), Milan Baros.

Portugal: Ricardo, Paulo Ferreira, Jose Bosingwa, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Armando Petit, Joao Moutinho (Fernando Meira 75), Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nuno Gomes (Hugo Almeida, 84), Simao Sabrosa (Ricardo Quaresmo, 85).