Friday, June 6, 2008

UEFA Euro 2008: Day 1 Previews

Euro 2008 kicks off tomorrow with a pair of games from Group A. It's Switzerland versus the Czech Republic in the tournament opener and Portugal-Turkey in Game Two.

Czech Republic vs. Switzerland
The venue: St. Jakob Park, Basel, Switzerland
The broadcast: ESPN Classic, 12:00 pm ET
The storyline: Czech experience versus Swiss youth. With these two sides expected to battle for second behind Portugal, a good start to the tournament is crucial.
The prediction: The home crowd inspires the Swiss, but the Czechs force a 1-1 draw.

Portugal vs. Turkey
The venue: Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland
The broadcast: ESPN Classic, 2:45 pm ET
The storyline: Is Cristiano Ronaldo ready to put his stamp on this tournament and continue a magical year? Or will the constant swirl of Real Madrid rumors be the distraction that gives Turkey an opening for an upset.
The prediction: Portugal are one of the few teams coming into this tournament without injury concerns. They get off to a good start with a 2-0 win.

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