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CHELSEA FC: EURO 2008: SOLID START FOR BLUES

/noticias.info/ Euro 2008 kicked off with victories and clean sheets for the four defensively-deployed Chelsea players on duty on Saturday.

Biggest winners of the day were Portugal who defeated Turkey 2-0 in Geneva. Stalwarts at the back, Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira were as expected selected and newly-signed José Bosingwa won his personal contest with Miguel for a place and played the full 90 minutes at right-back.

Ferreira and Carvalho also completed a game that saw the Portuguese stretched at times by the Turks, especially in the second-half, but with Bosingwa showing pace and Carvalho especially in good form, they held firm and were good value for their win having struck woodwork twice before scoring and again with the game at 1-0.

The one non-Chelsea member of their defence, Real Madrid centre-back Pepe, opened the scoring just past the hour after exchanging passes with Nuno Gomes. The insurance of a second goal had to wait until three minutes of stoppage time had passed. Raul Meireles of Porto finished off a breakaway move.

The tournament began in Basel with a 1-0 win for the Czech Republic against hosts Switzerland, and Petr Cech was at the centre of the action.

The goalkeeper had to be alert to rush off his line after 20 minutes to deny his former Rennes team-mate Alex Frei with a smart save. Moments later Cech beat away a long-range drive to keep his clean sheet intact.

Shortly into the second half the 26-year-old had to watch a curling Hakan Yakin free-kick just over the bar.

Substitute Vaclav Sverkos opened the scoring at the tournament with a low finish 20 minutes from time, and the Czechs did well to hold on and take the three points.

With 10 minutes remaining Cech reacted sharply to parry Tranquilo Barnetta's goalward effort, and then saw Swiss sub Johan Vonlanthen strike the rebound against the crossbar, the last chance created. notas_de_prensa_archivo