National Stadium Warsaw is the venue for tonight's match. Located on the eastern banks of the Vistula in the district of Praga Poludnie, its red-and-white facade resembles a waving Polish flag. It was the last of the stadia to be completed and holds 56,070.
Tonight's clash also features a showdown between two of the tournament's top players so far; Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Václav Pilař of Czech Republic.
National Stadium Warsaw: Fans have just begun to stream into Warsaw's magnificent National Stadium, and the sound is already reverberating around the bowl with the roof closed in anticipation of rain. In the event, it has turned into a beautiful summer's evening in the capital, and the temperature's rising already in anticipation of an intriguing first quarter-final.
Michal Bílek, Czech Republic coach: We know Portugal have dangerous players in midfield and up front, such as Nani, Hélder Postiga and [Cristiano] Ronaldo. We have that in mind, and we'll adjust our tactics to be more defensive.
Paulo Bento, Portugal coach: In adverse moments, we have to try to stay faithful to our playing style. We have to keep a cool head, stay focused and we'll see what our opponents present us with on the pitch.
Cristiano Ronaldo's two goals against the Netherlands took his international goals tally to 34, ahead of Luís Figo (32) and into third place on Portugal's top scorer list. Only Pauleta (47) and Eusébio (41) lie ahead.The Czech dressing room awaits the players in National Stadium Warsaw. The Czech Republic are playing their third quarter-final of a EURO final tournament and have yet to lose one.
Line up Portugal: Rui Patrício, Alves, Pepe, Coentrão, Pereira, Veloso, Moutinho, Meireles, Nani, Ronaldo, Postiga SUBS: Eduardo, Beto, Costa, Rolando, Lopes, Custódio, Quaresma, Micael, Viana, Almeida, Oliveira, Varela.
Czech Republic: Čech, Gebre Selassie, Kadlec, Sivok, Limberský, Plašil, Pilař, Hübschman, Jiráček, Darida, Baroš SUBS: Laštuvka, Drobný, Suchý, Hubník, Rajtoral, Rezek, Rosický, Petržela, Kolář, Necid, Pekhart, Lafata.
Both teams will walk a disciplinary tightrope tonight. Five Portugal players - Fábio Coentrão, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul Meireles, João Pereira and Hélder Postiga - are within one yellow card of a ban, as are the Czechs' David Limberský, Jaroslav Plašil and Petr Jiráček from their starting line up, plus three more on the substitutes' bench.
Petr Jiráček got the crucial goal against Poland which clinched Group A for the Czech Republic. The VfL Wolfsburg man departs the team coach at the stadium.
Nani (left) and Hélder Postiga make their way to the dressing rooms. Both start for Portugal this evening.
Portugal have a mixed record in quarter-finals. This is their fifth successive last eight appearance, with victories in 2000 (v Turkey, 2-0) and 2004 (v England 2-2, 6-5 on penalties) and defeats in 1996 (v Czech Republic, 0-1) and 2008 (v Germany, 2-3). Prior to then their only quarter-final appearance was a two-legged 6-3 loss to Yugoslavia back in 1960.
The Czech fans are in buoyant mood after their team unexpectedly topped Group A following a 4-1 opening-day loss to Russia.
Petr Čech saved penalties from Arjen Robben in extra time and Ivica Olić and Bastian Schweinsteiger in the shoot-out as Chelsea FC beat FC Bayern München in the UEFA Champions League final. He may need to repeat his heroics again tonight if the two sides cannot be separated over 120 minutes.
Ronaldo has hit the most shots at UEFA EURO 2012 (22) and finds himself just six short of the tournament record of 28, held by Russia's Roman Pavlyuchenko in 2008.
Portugal fans show their true colours as they make their way to National Stadium Warsaw.
The match is under way.
The Czech Republic kick-off the quarter-finals in Warsaw.
1 st Half :
Milan Baroš leaps to win an early header.
Centre midfielders Jaroslav Plašil and Miguel Veloso battle for possession.
40 Hugo Almeida (in) - Hélder Postiga (out) (Portugal).
Paulo Bento decides against introducing Nélson Oliveira and opts for Hugo Almeida who is making his first appearance at the tournament.
The referee blows for half-time.
National Stadium Warsaw: An intriguing first-half in Warsaw, with the well-supported Czech Republic starting with real brio, echoing Portugal's slow starts to the other UEFA EURO 2012 matches. Again, Paulo Bento's side came back well, and Bílak's team were counting the seconds to the interval by the time Cristiano Ronaldo rattled the post.
The second half begins.
Czech Republic started he stronger before Portugal came into it at the end of the first half. Who will be the stronger in the second?
Portugal have now hit the woodwork six times this tournament, a EURO record. They (6) were also second only to France (7) in terms of striking the frame of the goal in qualifying.
minute 46 : Hugo Almeida (Portugal) misses the target.
minute 61 : Rezek (in) - Darida (out) (Czech Republic).
minute 63 :Baroš (Czech Republic) misses the target.
Petr Čech can only watch as Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick strikes the post.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) misses the target.
Cristiano Ronaldo cuts a frustrated figure after goin close with a series of chances.
minute 79 :Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) scores!
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) scores!
The breakthrough finally comes for Portugal and it is the Real Madrid CF forward's third of the tournament. He times his run perfectly to dart past Theodor Gebre Selassie at the back post to meet João Moutinho's right-side cross and head powerfully into the ground and past Petr Čech who can do nothing.
Portugal finally break through via - who else? - Cristiano Ronaldo. His header past Čech, who almost pulled off another superb save, was excellent, but much credit goes to the indefatigable João Moutinho, who popped up in an unfamiliar wide position to deliver a precise cross for his captain.
minute 84: Custódio (in) - Nani (out) (Portugal).
minute 86: Pekhart (in) - Hübschman (out) (Czech Republic).
minute 88: Rolando (in) - Raul Meireles (out) (Portugal).
Andy Brassell, National Stadium Warsaw: Portugal got there in the end, grinding down a valiant Czech Republic side. Cristiano Ronaldo always looked the most likely source of a goal and so it proved, with him finally winning his duel with the excellent Petr Čech. Neither France or Spain - Portugal's prospective semi-final opponents - will relish facing Paulo Bento's side with the bit between its teeth.
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