DORTMUND, Germany — Bernardo Silva’s first goal at a major tournament, a calamitous own goal from Samet Akaydin and a Bruno Fernandes tap-in gave Portugal a comfortable 3-0 win over Turkey on Saturday to guarantee qualification for the last 16 as Group F winners.
Silva gave Portugal the lead in the 21st minute, rifling home after Nuno Mendes’ cross deflected kindly into his path before Mr. Akaydin failed to look and passed the ball beyond onrushing goalkeeper Altay Bayindir seven minutes later.
Mr. Fernandes effectively ended the contest after 56 minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo — who could have become the oldest goalscorer in European Championship history — selflessly passed to his former Manchester United teammate to tap home.
The victory secures Portugal’s progress while Turkey must avoid defeat on Wednesday to the Czech Republic, who drew 1-1 with Georgia earlier on Saturday, to be certain of qualifying for the knockout rounds.
Portugal started sharply and were unfazed by the deafening whistles from Turkey’s supporters when in possession, with Ronaldo drawing an easy save from Mr. Bayindir inside two minutes.
Turkey — who had lost all three of their previous European Championship games against Portugal without scoring — set up more defensively after they gave up multiple chances to tournament debutants Georgia in their opening match.
They nonetheless often played out from the back and the gamble almost paid off after 20 minutes, but 41-year-old defender Pepe’s last-man challenge stopped Orkun Kokcu from breaking clear.
Portugal scored shortly after through a quick break down the left, when Mr. Mendes played a dangerous ball across goal which Silva turned home for his first major tournament goal in his 15th game at either the World Cup or European Championship.
A defensive mix-up doubled their lead when Mr. Bayindir, who was in the side for Mert Gunok, wandered out of his goal to collect a misplaced pass from Joao Cancelo towards Mr. Ronaldo.
But, as Mr. Ronaldo and Mr. Cancelo remonstrated, Mr. Akaydin played a no-look backpass which rolled past Mr. Bayindir in slow motion and evaded Zeki Celik’s desperate slide to cross the line.
Kerem Akturkoglu forced a great save from Diogo Costa almost immediately after, but Turkey otherwise created precious few chances.
Turkey pressed late on for a goal that would not have changed the result but would have improved their goal difference. — Reuters
