KHARKIV — Portugal coach Paulo Bento chose to praise his team’s group mentality rather than two-goal Cristiano Ronaldo after they “brilliantly” beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Sunday to reach the Uefa Euro 2012 football quarter-finals.
Asked about criticism of a lacklustre Ronaldo in the first two Group B games, Bento told a news conference: “I think we have discussed this, I am proud of what we did as a team.
“I’m satisfied that we have succeeded in our aim and that we did that brilliantly tonight with a great united organisation in these three games we have played.”
Former world player of the year Ronaldo found his form just in time for his nation with the group going down to the wire. He coolly netted on 28 and 74 minutes after Rafael van der Vaart had opened the scoring for the Dutch who exit the tournament without a point.
“We have an identity, we have certain ideas and then the players put that into practice,” Bento added.
“They did what we asked them to do. Today (Sunday) we can even talk about some brilliance. It was the best game we have played so far, apart from the first 12 minutes. We have been loyal to our spirit and that is what we are proud of.”
Ronaldo was already looking forward to the quarter-final against Group A winners Czech Republic in Warsaw on Thursday. Group B victors Germany face Greece.
“Now we have to play against the Czechs and that is going to be hard, but we’ll see what happens,” the man-of-the match said.
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Germany performed well to beat a defensive Danish side 2-1 in their last Uefa Euro 2012 Group B match on Sunday, but must do better in the quarter-final against Greece, a game which will be as tough as “biting on a rock”, coach Joachim Loew said.
Germany defeated Denmark to win the group without ever hitting top gear, Lukas Podolski and Lars Bender scoring amid several wasted opportunities.
“We had three or four very good chances and missed that killer instinct . . . that would of course have made the whole task much easier,” Loew told a news conference after his side’s third consecutive win at the tournament.
“We had a job, we made it, we got through the group so we’re very satisfied. I think we can get a little bit better and we need to do that in the next games.”
Loew complained his team had left too many spaces in midfield and defence on occasion, allowing Denmark to slow down the game. “We could improve on that because Greece will be similar. They’re going to try to take the tempo out of the game,” he said.
“They can really defend well, they really throw themselves into it whenever it’s dangerous, they’re right there. They’re very hard and it’s like you’re just biting on a rock.”
Loew had earlier told German television that Germany were capable of being more focused against Greece in Gdansk on Friday.
“We need to force the next opponent to their knees and then we’ll see what happens after that,” he said.
Midfielder Sami Khedira echoed Loew, saying: “We’re going to have to get used to it and not complain when a team pack their defence.” Bender, who was only playing because of Jerome Boateng’s suspension, said the goal had been a wonderful present.
“It was a bit of luck that the ball came to me, but you don’t think a lot about it, you just shoot it in,” he said.
