Scolari looks forward to tactical battles ahead

Portugal have earned the luxury of more than a week's preparation for the quarter-final after two impressive victories in the group.

The Portuguese, whose match against eliminated co-hosts Switzerland on Sunday is a formality, face the runners-up of the next group which was led by Germany before their match against Croatia today.

"I'm very satisfied with the victory and Portugal going through after two matches, it's an historical achievement," coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said after yesterday's win over Czech Republic.

Within an hour or so of that news conference, it was announced by Champions League runners-up Chelsea that Scolari would be joining them at the end of the tournament.

Portugal have not dominated a European Championship group in the same way before, although they won all three first round matches at in 2000 and reached the semi-finals.

When Portugal hosted the tournament in 2004 they had to recover from an opening match defeat before progressing to the final.

"To see the team play as they did today is good because it shows quality for the future," Scolari said.

He said Portugal only needed to adjust "some minimal technical deficiencies", with a week to iron them out at their base.

"We were badly positioned for the (Czech) goal. (Armando) Petit can't mark a player much taller than him. We must resolve such things," Scolari said of Libor Sionko's headed equaliser from a corner.

"We accelerated (play) too much in the first half," he added. The sides were draw at halftime before a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo goal just past the hour spurred them to victory.

Scolari had special praise for Petit's midfield labours.

"Petit distributes play very well, he provides the conditions for Deco and Joao Moutinho to have room to create," said Scolari.

"He's tactically perfect and always well positioned to defend."

Scolari said at the Stade de Geneve that he had not decided how to prepare for the match against Switzerland but that was before the Swiss had lost to Turkey to go out.

He is likely to alter his team, unchanged since a warm-up win a week before the tournament kicked off, having said earlier that his best choice was not eleven but 23 and that most of the squad would probably see action.

Scolari looked forward to pitting his wits against the Germans, whom he regarded as the best tactical team he had seen so far.

Portugal could meet Germany in the last eight but it is more likely to be in the semi-final.