Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho and José Bosingwa stand on the threshold of the European Championship quarter-finals after Portugal's second win.

The Czech Republic, with Petr Cech in goal, went down 3-1 to the Portuguese in Geneva in Wednesday's first match, a tighter game than the scoreline may suggest.

However it was the beaten finalists four years ago who took their chances, the first goal coming as early as the eighth minute.

Deco combined with Cristiano Ronaldo but the Man United player was initially thwarted by the leg of Cech. Deco, after an initial block by the Chelsea keeper, poked the ball in from close range.

The Czech Republic became the first team of the tournament to equalise when on 16 minutes, Libor Sionko headed home a corner. Cech, who had made a save a minute earlier made two more from Ronaldo but the game was all-square at the break.

The Chelsea man was the busier of the two keepers after the restart without being full extended but he was powerless when Ronaldo swept home a Deco pass with 62 minutes on the clock to re-establish the lead.

Sionko had two good chances to bring the Czechs back into it as the game entered its closing stages and it was a timely Bosingwa challenge that helped thwart the second one.

The contest was called to a close when substitute Ricardo Quaresma scored in stoppage time from a break initiated by a quickly-taken free-kick.

All four Chelsea players on the pitch played the full game with Bosingwa picking up a yellow card.

Portugal, nearly through, play Switzerland on Sunday while the Czechs will require a good result against Turkey.