One of the countries on the Iberian peninsula had a perfect start in Euro 2004.
Unfortunately for the tournament hosts, it was Spain.
PHOTO: AP
It began badly on Saturday for the Portuguese, who had been planning the biggest sporting event in their history for several years. Greece ruined the party in just seven minutes when Georgios Karagounis scored en route to the 2-1 victory in Porto.
PHOTO: AP
The loss left the Portuguese, in the midst of celebrating a four-day weekend, feeling empty.
In the second game, Spanish coach Inaki Saez made an inspired substitution early in the second half. Juan Carlos Valeron scored to give Spain a 1-0 win over Russia, finding the net just 36 seconds after coming on at the Algarve stadium in the southern resort of Faro.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Greece and Spain lead Group A, and the focus will shift Sunday to the first major showdown of the tournament -- defending European champion France vs. England in Group B at Lisbon's Stadium of Light. Switzerland plays Croatia in the other match.
"We've got to win both games now," said Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. "It's all or nothing against Russia."
Because Portugal qualified automatically as the host team, its last match that counted was a 1-0 loss to South Korea two years ago in the World Cup. Scolari's last match that counted was a 2-0 win over Germany to bringing Brazil its fifth World Cup title.
Fans were singing the blues -- in Portugal it's Fado -- as they exited Porto's stadium. Thoughts of the World Cup two years ago are still fresh. Portugal was ousted from the first round after being upset in the opener by the US.
"We all expected victory," said 28-year-old Carla Salgado Rodrigues. "We have such a big team. I cannot believe we lost to a team that nobody expected to have a chance."
Despite finishing ahead of Spain in the qualifying round, Greece continues to be underrated under German coach Otto Rehhagel. That will change.
The victory was the first for Greece in a major tournament. The side was winless in both the '94 World Cup and the 1980 European championship.
"This is undoubtedly the pinnacle of my career," said Rehhagel, who took over in 2001. "It's my biggest success. I hope that all Greeks will be flying the Greek flag tonight."
Premier Costas Caramanlis of Greece wasted no time offering congratulations, calling it a "historic victory."
"I also hope there is more success in the rest of the European championship."
Winning the opening game could be crucial for Spain, a notorious underachiever in big tournaments.
"The result will give our players confidence," said Saez, a modest man who produced with Spain's under-age teams before taking over the senior team after Spain lost to South Korea in the World Cup quarterfinals two years ago.
Saez sent on Valeron for Fernando Morientes after 15 minutes of the second half, and 36 seconds later he scored, putting in a 8m shot off a cross from Carles Puyol.
Saez took none of the credit, saying the substitution was routine.
"We made two chances in the game," he said. "If we'd have made them in the 15th minute of the first half, it would have been suicide. These are chances that always give us results. We had been thinking about putting in Valeron for Morientes."
Spain was dominant before a 28,000 sellout -- the vast majority Spaniards from across the border draped in yellow and red shirts, scarves and caps. Despite the possession, Real Madrid 'keeper Iker Casillas had to come up with a few key save to preserve the deserved victory.
Russia lost hope when Roman Sharonov was sent off on his second yellow card in the 89th for bringing down Fernando Torres. He substituted for a worn-out Raul Gonzalez in the 78th.
England midfielder David Beckham has issued a plea to England fans to behave at Euro 2004.
British police have banned about 2,500 fans suspected to being hooligans from traveling to Portugal, and the governing body of European soccer UEFA has threatened to kick England out of the tournament if there are any problems.
"It is important the fans are like they were in Japan rather than in Belgium," said Beckham. "Hopefully the fans realize that by now. They have to."
There were no problems in the 2002 World Cup in Japan, partly because it was too far to travel and also because the good manners of the Japanese seemed to troublemakers.
"It has been drummed into them enough," Beckham said. "We don't want any trouble. We want fans to come and enjoy the games. There are going to be children, wives and mothers at these games. That's the thing to think about at the end of the day."
ITALIANS VOTE
The Italian team went by bus to the Italian embassy to vote in the European elections.
Ambassador Emilio Barbarani welcomed the team at the entrance and offered to host a celebratory party at the embassy in the case of an "Azzurri" triumph in Portugal on July 4th, the date of the final.
"It's good to take advantage of voting rights because then we don't have to complain if things don't go how we want," coach Giovanni Trapattoni said.
The only team members to skip the excursion were Argentine-born midfielder Mauro Camoranesi and AS Roma's impulsive striker Antonio Cassano.
"Camoranesi didn't vote. But he's Argentine," Trapattoni said. "As for Cassano, I'll ask him, although I'm not sure he'll offer a response."
NEW DADDY, NEW ARRIVAL
Swedish defender Erik Wahlstedt participated in his first training session Saturday, a late arrival after a new arrival.
The 28-year-old Wahlstedt landed in Portugal on Friday night after attending the birth of his first child back home in Helsingborg. Wahlstedt's girlfriend, Cathrin, gave birth to a baby girl Wednesday in Sweden.
It was his girlfriend's third child but Wahlstedt's first.
"This is fabulous. This is huge, very huge," Wahlstedt crowed. "It's going to be a while before this sinks in and I realize what happened."
Despite his age, Wahlstedt is a relative newcomer to the Swedish squad. He only made his second appearance for the senior team in April, in the team's 2-2 friendly draw with Portugal.
Sweden plays its opening Group C match against Bulgaria on Monday. The team plays Italy on June 18 and Denmark on June 22.
BOOING SCOLARI
Fans of FC Porto -- the Champions League champions -- booed Portugal's national coach Luzi Felipe Scolari when the lineups were announced for Saturday's Portugal vs. Greece game.
And of course he was booed after Greece upset Portugal 2-1.
The fans were upset at the beginning of the match and showed their anger at Scolari. The Brazilain declined to name Porto goalkeeper Vitor Baia to the 23-man national team. Last month with Baia in goal, FC Porto won the Champions League title. Sporting Lisbon's Ricardo Pereira started for Portugal on Saturday.
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