Portugal have yet to win this year but Wednesday's game against Denmark in Lviv, Ukraine, would be an ideal time to end that run, as they take on the side that beat them to top spot in qualifying.
The Portuguese -- finalists in 2004 when they hosted the tournament -- opened their Euro 2012 campaign with a far from dishonourable 1-0 defeat to the hands of one of the favourites for the title, Germany.~
But with the Danes, champions in 1992, having stunned the Dutch, Paulo Bento's team know that while a draw would at least give them an outside chance of reaching the last eight, nothing short of victory is required with the Dutch still to play.
Portugal, though, face an uphill battle, with the Danes on the up and having beaten the Selecao 2-1 in the final tournament qualifier in Copenhagen last October, which forced them into a play-off.
Pivotal to them getting something out of the game will be for their captain and one world class player Cristiano Ronaldo to get more involved than he was after yet another disappointing performance for him at this level against the Germans.
In his defence, the 26-year-old Real Madrid superstar does not have the same quality of playing talent supporting him as he had when he first made an impression as a player in the 2004 tournament.
"I think the team need to give him the chances to have a good performance," said the 39-year-old former Real Madrid star Luis Figo.
"The characteristic of Cristiano is to finish, to score, so, if the team don't produce those kind of opportunities then of course his performance is down."
The Danes showed what the Portuguese lacked in converting one of the few chances that fell to them against the Dutch, who could have won by a hatful if they had been more clinical.
However, instead it is the solid Danes who hold a whip hand in terms of their own destiny.
And with the canny and experienced coach Morten Olsen in charge the Portuguese can expect to come up against a well-drilled outfit that relies largely on team spirit to make up for its lack of flair.
Their goalscorer against the Dutch, Michael Krohn-Dehli, typifies this dogged spirit -- a journeyman forward who failed to make it in six years in Dutch club football.
He believes they can progress to the last eight with more of the same character.
"We don't have to win our next two games in order to progress to the last eight. We now have a great opportunity."
Teams
Denmark (4-2-3-1)
Stephan Andersen : Lars Jacobsen, Simon Kjaer, Daniel Agger (capt), Simon Poulsen; Niki Zimling, William Kvist; Dennis Rommedahl, Christian Eriksen, Michael Krohn-Delhi; Nicklas Bendtner
Coach : Morten Olsen
Portugal (4-3-3)
Rui Patricio : Joao Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao; Raul Meireles, Miguel Veloso, Joao Moutinho; Nani, Helder Postiga, Cristiano Ronaldo (capt)
Coach : Paulo Bento
Denmark V Portugal - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.
Source: AFP
