Germany Advances to Euro 2008`s Semifinals

At the quarter-final of the 2008 European Championship in Basel, Switzerland on Thursday, Germany beat aspiring title favorite Portugal 3-2 in a captivating match.

With the win Germany took a step further to restoring its championship 12 years after it was crowned in 1996. It will meet the winner of the June 26 game between Croatia and Turkey next.

In fact, Germany and Portugal harbor some hard feelings. Germany skipper Michael Ballack has painful memories of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Chelsea, Ballack’s team, and Manchester United, Ronaldo`s team, faced each other in the final of the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League this season, but Chelsea lost to Manchester in both. Ballack also watched Ronaldo become a world star.

Ballack met Scolari twice. The first was at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, where Scolari was coaching Brazil. Ballack scored a goal in the quarter-final with Korea but had to sit out due to a suspension in the Germany-Brazil match and was criticized for the 2-0 defeat.

In the 2006 Germany World Cup, Germany matched Portugal led by Scolari in the third-place play-off. Ballack was not able to join but the Germans won 3-1. As Scolari becomes the new manager of Chelsea after the Euro 2008, their awkward relationship will no doubt continue.

Ballack was excellent in the quarter-final against Portugal, restoring his team’s advantage after 61 minutes with a header. Meanwhile, Ronaldo fell short of expectations being blocked by the German defense.

Bastian Schweinsteiger also contributed to Germany’s victory. His first goal came at the 22-minute mark and he assisted another goal from Miroslav Klose at 26 minutes and Ballack’s goal in the second half. He also made three goals alone in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal match against Portugal.

kimsk@donga.com