Portugal ride on Ronaldo magic, enter quarter-finals

ONE MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo (L) celebrates with teammate Ricardo Quaresma after Quaresma scored.

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Geneva: Portugal needed only two matches to secure a quarter-final berth and establish themself as one of the top contenders for the European Championship title.

With another good performance by Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates, Portugal beat the Czech Republic 3-1 on Wednesday to finish first in Group A.

"The team is mature and we are on the right track," said Ronaldo, who had not scored a goal for Portugal since a tournament qualifier at Kazakhstan on October 17. "We are among the favourites."

The Portuguese will have nothing on the line when they finish the group stage against already eliminated Switzerland in Basel on Sunday, and players are already thinking ahead.

"This gives us tranquility for the next few days," playmaker Deco said. "We played well, but now we will have to prepare for next round, which is always more difficult."

Portugal moved up to six points, with the Czechs staying with three. Turkey beat Switzerland 2-1 later on Wednesday to eliminate the co-hosts and put Portugal through. The Turks and Czechs will play for the group's other qualification spot on Sunday.

Portugal displayed their free-flowing style for the second straight time, with Ronaldo scoring a goal and helping set up two others.

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

"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 equalised in the 17th before Ronaldo hit a first-time shot from the edge of the area and Quaresma tapped in from close range.

Ronaldo was also instrumental in 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.