Group A of UEFA Euro 2008 was played from 7 to 15 June 2008. All six group matches were played at venues in Switzerland, in Basel and Geneva. The group consisted of co-hosts Switzerland, UEFA Euro 2004 hosts and finalists Portugal, as well as the Czech Republic and Turkey. Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Türkiye were later drawn in same group in the UEFA Euro 2024.

Portugal won their first two games against Turkey and the Czech Republic, scoring five goals in the process, to qualify for the quarter-finals as group winners. The second quarter-final berth was to go to the winners of the match between Turkey and the Czech Republic. As the two teams had identical records going into the game, if the match had finished as a draw, the quarter-final place would have been determined by a penalty shoot-out – what would have been the first group stage penalty shoot-out in a major international tournament. Meanwhile, Switzerland became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament after losing to Turkey 2–1 in their second match, Arda Turan scoring a deflected winner in the last minute, having lost 1–0 to the Czech Republic in their opening match. This match between Switzerland and Turkey was dubbed the "Bath of Basel" as the rain poured down incessantly. The weather suited the long-ball Swiss more than the short-passing Turks, and before half-time, the Swiss had capitalized on the conditions. Indeed, Hakan Yakin's goal stemmed from the ball stopping in a puddle and allowing him an easy finish. In the second half, Turkey's more direct style yielded two goals, the second a last-minute long-range shot from Arda Turan which went in off a deflection. This was the first of several last-gasp victories for the Turkish team at the tournament, made all the more impressive by their injury woes at that time.

The final round of matches saw the Portuguese name an under-strength team for their match against Switzerland, their progression already assured as group winners. Their opponents, however, fielded a strong side and won the match 2–0, securing their first win in a European Championship. Meanwhile, with a place in the quarter-finals to play for, Turkey and the Czech Republic each had to win to qualify. The Czechs went into half time 1–0 up, and doubled their lead soon after half-time. Arda Turan brought the Turks back into the game in the 75th minute, before Petr Čech made an uncharacteristic error, dropping the ball at the feet of Nihat Kahveci, who was left with a simple finish. Boosted by the equaliser, Turkey went for the win, and two minutes later, Nihat curled the ball past Čech from 20 yards. Then, with just moments left to play, the Turkish goalkeeper Volkan Demirel pushed over the big Czech striker Jan Koller, resulting in a red card for the Turk. With no substitutions left, Turkey had to put Tuncay Şanlı in goal, but still managed to secure their place in the quarter-finals. Tempers continued to boil over, as Milan Baroš was booked, despite having been on the bench for the whole game.

Teams Draw position Team Pot Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance UEFA Rankings FIFA RankingsJune 2008 November 2007 May 2008 A1 1 Co-host 12 December 2002 3rd 2004 Group stage (1996, 2004) 19 16 44 A2 2 Group D winner 17 October 2007 7th 2004 Winners (1976) 4 3 6 A3 3 Group A runner-up 21 November 2007 5th 2004 Runners-up (2004) 8 5 11 A4 4 Group C runner-up 21 November 2007 3rd 2000 Quarter-finals (2000) 14 14 20

Notes

Standings

In the quarter-finals, The winner of Group A, Portugal, advanced to play the runner-up of Group B, Germany. The runner-up of Group A, Turkey, advanced to play the winner of Group B, Croatia.

Matches

Switzerland vs Czech Republic

GK 1 Diego BenaglioRB 5 Stephan Lichtsteiner CB 20Patrick MüllerCB 4 Philippe SenderosLB 3 Ludovic Magnin CM 8 Gökhan InlerCM 15Gelson FernandesRW 19Valon Behrami LW 16Tranquillo Barnetta CF 9 Alexander Frei (c) CF 11Marco StrellerSubstitutions:MF 10Hakan Yakin FW 22Johan Vonlanthen FW 12Eren Derdiyok Manager:Köbi Kuhn GK 1 Petr ČechRB 2 Zdeněk GrygeraCB 21Tomáš Ujfaluši (c)CB 22David RozehnalLB 6 Marek JankulovskiDM 4 Tomáš GalásekCM 14David Jarolím CM 3 Jan PolákRW 7 Libor Sionko LW 20Jaroslav PlašilCF 9 Jan Koller Substitutions:FW 10Václav Svěrkoš FW 11Stanislav Vlček MF 5 Radoslav Kováč Manager:Karel Brückner

Man of the Match: Tomáš Ujfaluši (Czech Republic)

Assistant referees: Alessandro Griselli (Italy) Paolo Calcagno (Italy) Fourth official: Stéphane Lannoy (France) Reserve assistant referee: Alex Verstraeten (Belgium)

Portugal vs Turkey

GK 1 RicardoRB 4 José BosingwaCB 15PepeCB 16Ricardo CarvalhoLB 2 Paulo FerreiraCM 8 PetitCM 10João MoutinhoRW 7 Cristiano RonaldoAM 20Deco LW 11Simão CF 21Nuno Gomes (c) Substitutions:FW 19Nani MF 6 Raul Meireles DF 5 Fernando Meira Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari GK 23Volkan DemirelRB 22Hamit Altıntop CB 2 Servet ÇetinCB 4 Gökhan Zan LB 3 Hakan BaltaRM 18Colin Kazim-Richards CM 5 Emre Belözoğlu (c)LM 7 Mehmet AurélioAM 21Mevlüt Erdinç AM 17Tuncay ŞanlıCF 8 Nihat KahveciSubstitutions:DF 20Sabri Sarıoğlu DF 15Emre Aşık FW 9 Semih Şentürk Manager:Fatih Terim

Man of the Match: Pepe (Portugal)

Assistant referees: Carsten Kadach (Germany) Volker Wezel (Germany) Fourth official: Viktor Kassai (Hungary) Reserve assistant referee: Peter Hermans (Belgium)

Czech Republic vs Portugal

GK 1 Petr ČechRB 2 Zdeněk GrygeraCB 21Tomáš Ujfaluši (c)CB 22David RozehnalLB 6 Marek JankulovskiDM 4 Tomáš Galásek CM 17Marek Matějovský CM 3 Jan Polák RW 7 Libor SionkoLW 20Jaroslav Plašil CF 15Milan BarošSubstitutions:FW 11Stanislav Vlček FW 9 Jan Koller MF 14David Jarolím Manager:Karel Brückner GK 1 RicardoRB 4 José Bosingwa CB 15PepeCB 16Ricardo CarvalhoLB 2 Paulo FerreiraCM 8 PetitCM 10João Moutinho RW 7 Cristiano RonaldoAM 20DecoLW 11Simão CF 21Nuno Gomes (c) Substitutions:DF 5 Fernando Meira FW 9 Hugo Almeida MF 17Ricardo Quaresma Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Man of the Match: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Assistant referees: Dimitrios Bozatzidis (Greece) Dimitrios Saraidaris (Greece) Fourth official: Kristinn Jakobsson (Iceland) Reserve assistant referee: Adriaan Inia (Netherlands)

Switzerland vs Turkey

GK 1 Diego BenaglioRB 5 Stephan LichtsteinerCB 20Patrick MüllerCB 4 Philippe SenderosLB 3 Ludovic Magnin (c)RM 19Valon BehramiCM 8 Gökhan InlerCM 15Gelson Fernandes LM 16Tranquillo Barnetta SS 10Hakan Yakin CF 12Eren Derdiyok Substitutions:FW 22Johan Vonlanthen MF 7 Ricardo Cabanas FW 14Daniel Gygax Manager:Köbi Kuhn GK 23Volkan DemirelRB 22Hamit AltıntopCB 15Emre AşıkCB 2 Servet ÇetinLB 3 Hakan Balta DM 7 Mehmet Aurélio RM 10Gökdeniz Karadeniz LM 14Arda TuranAM 11Tümer Metin CF 8 Nihat Kahveci (c) CF 17Tuncay Şanlı Substitutions:MF 6 Mehmet Topal FW 9 Semih Şentürk FW 18Colin Kazim-Richards Manager:Fatih Terim

Man of the Match: Arda Turan (Turkey)

Assistant referees: Roman Slyško (Slovakia) Martin Balko (Slovakia) Fourth official: Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Reserve assistant referee: Hans ten Hoove (Netherlands)

Switzerland vs Portugal

GK 18Pascal ZuberbühlerRB 5 Stephan Lichtsteiner CB 20Patrick MüllerCB 4 Philippe SenderosLB 3 Ludovic Magnin (c)RM 19Valon BehramiCM 15Gelson Fernandes CM 8 Gökhan InlerLM 22Johan Vonlanthen SS 10Hakan Yakin CF 12Eren DerdiyokSubstitutions:MF 16Tranquillo Barnetta DF 13Stéphane Grichting MF 7 Ricardo Cabanas Manager:Köbi Kuhn GK 1 RicardoRB 13Miguel CB 15PepeCB 3 Bruno AlvesLB 2 Paulo Ferreira CM 5 Fernando Meira (c) CM 18Miguel Veloso CM 6 Raul MeirelesRW 17Ricardo QuaresmaLW 19NaniCF 23Hélder Postiga Substitutions:DF 14Jorge Ribeiro MF 10João Moutinho FW 9 Hugo Almeida Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Man of the Match: Hakan Yakin (Switzerland)

Assistant referees: Egon Bereuter (Austria) Markus Mayr (Austria) Fourth official: Ivan Bebek (Croatia) Reserve assistant referee: Geir Åge Holen (Norway)

Turkey vs Czech Republic

GK 23Volkan Demirel RB 22Hamit AltıntopCB 13Emre Güngör CB 2 Servet ÇetinLB 3 Hakan BaltaRM 6 Mehmet Topal CM 7 Mehmet Aurélio CM 14Arda Turan LM 17Tuncay ŞanlıCF 8 Nihat Kahveci (c)CF 9 Semih Şentürk Substitutions:DF 20Sabri Sarıoğlu FW 18Colin Kazim-Richards DF 15Emre Aşık Manager:Fatih Terim GK 1 Petr ČechRB 2 Zdeněk GrygeraCB 21Tomáš Ujfaluši (c) CB 22David RozehnalLB 6 Marek JankulovskiDM 4 Tomáš Galásek CM 17Marek Matějovský CM 3 Jan PolákRW 7 Libor Sionko LW 20Jaroslav Plašil CF 9 Jan KollerSubstitutions:MF 14David Jarolím DF 13Michal Kadlec FW 11Stanislav Vlček Other disciplinary actions:FW 15Milan Baroš Manager:Karel Brückner

Man of the Match: Nihat Kahveci (Turkey)

Assistant referees: Stefan Wittberg (Sweden) Henrik Andrén (Sweden) Fourth official: Grzegorz Gilewski (Poland) Reserve assistant referee: Jan Petter Randen (Norway)

See also Czech Republic at the UEFA European Championship Portugal at the UEFA European Championship Switzerland at the UEFA European Championship Turkey at the UEFA European Championship

References

External links UEFA Euro 2008 Group A