Portugal primed for success

After eliminating Spain in the play-offs, Portugal are among the favourites to win the UEFA European Under-21 Championship which start on Thursday in Switzerland.

'Balanced' group
Portugal are in Group 1 with holders Italy, hosts Switzerland and dark horses England. Their coach, Agostinho Oliveira, knows they will not have it easy in what he describes as a "balanced" group. He told uefa.com in February: "Italy are traditionally a very hard team to beat, Switzerland are playing at home, and England and Portugal also have strong teams." However, they have already gained a useful psychological edge over one of their opponents, England, who they beat 1-0 in Stoke last month, defender Tonel heading the only goal.

Qualifying route
Moreover, their qualifying route was impressive. Portugal qualified as winners of Group 2 ahead of Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland. They did so with six wins from eight matches – which included a 3-0 home defeat of the Dutch, their closest rivals. Their one loss, against Cyprus, came with qualification already secured. It was closer in the play-off against Spain, where it required Hugo Leal’s second-half goal in Lisbon to ease them through on away goals after a 2-1 first-leg defeat.

Viana vital
That Leal now misses the finals through injury places even more responsibility on the shoulders of playmaker Hugo Viana. The 19-year-old was voted the young player of the year by the country’s football writers after an impressive season with 1. Liga winners Sporting Clube de Portugal and will start the competition as one of the players to watch out for. Viana was called up to the full national side after playing only 100 minutes for Sporting’s first team. However, despite winning three full caps, it is to Switzerland, rather than Korea/Japan, that his focus now turns.

Potent weapon
Looking to benefit from Viana's ability to open up defences with will be striker Ariza Makukula, top scorer for Spanish second division side UD Salamanca this season, and a player whose development will continue in France with FC Nantes Atlantique from next season. Makukula was called in to replace the injured Boavista FC midfield player José Bosingwa, prompting the Portuguese government to rush through his citizenship. He went through Vitória SC's youth academy and is the son of the former Republic of Congo left winger, Kuyiangana Makukula, who played for GD Chaves, SC Beira-Mar and Vitória Setúbal.