Euro 2012: Paulo Bento still believes Portugal can qualify

Defeat to Germany, coupled with Denmark’s victory over the Netherlands, leaves Portugal and the Dutch already three points adrift in Group B. Portugal’s record against the Danes, today’s opponent, is poor and their recent goalscoring form equally so, but Bento is confident they can turn things around to reach the knockout stage. “I continue to think we can get through to the quarter-finals,” he said. “We lacked a greater capacity in the final third of the pitch against Germany, particularly in the first half. We’ve only won one of the last four against Denmark but we don’t dwell on past games. Denmark are in a more comfortable position and the Germany defeat has left us in a difficult situation but we have been here before.”