Alpay Ozalan had already been sent off for punching Fernando Couto when Gomes threw himself at a Luis Figo cross and headed home his second goal of the tournament in Amsterdam.

Turkey knew they would have to work hard to contain the fleuncy of Portugal's attacking play but early moves offered hope for optimism going forward.

Okan Buruk chased back brilliantly to win the ball from Manuel Rui Costa as the Fiorentina midfielder shaped to shoot after good link-up play with Nuno Gomes.

Okan headed wide a long throw from Hakan Unsal and Arif Erdem volleyed over with his left foot.

A Figo cross from the Portuguese right drifted closer to the far post than Rustu Recber had expected but the Fenerbahce keeper demonstrated his ability with an acrobatic take from Sergio Conceicao's centre, moments later.

Rustu produced an even better piece of goalkeeping, in the 19th minute, to keep his team level.

Figo's inswinging corner found Costinha, unmarked at the back post. The midfielder took a touch before firing goalward from five yards but the Turkish keeper hurled himself across the line to keep the ball out.

Portugal's Barcelona star unleashed a right-foot drive from 25 yards, in the 23rd minute, but saw it flash a yard wide.

Hakan Sukur went close for the Turks. He rose above Couto to reach a long free-kick launched into the Portuguese goalmouth by Ogun Temizkanoglu but his looping header cleared the bar.

A moment of madness by Alpay then gave Turkey a mountain to climb. The defender, forward for a set-piece, took a swing at Couto's chest after the pair landed in a heap after an aerial battle.

Ref Dick Jol spotted the 29th-minute tussle, and showed Alpay the red card.

It was the first in a flurry of cards from the Dutch ref, who had already cautioned Joao Pinto. Okan, Couto, Nuno Gomes and Costinha all followed into the notebook before the break.

Arif and Hakan Sukur combined neatly moving into the penalty area but the offside flag went up as the Galatasaray hitman tried a backheel to his strike partner.

Costinha headed wide from a Figo corner as Rustu misjudged the flight but Portugal soon snatched the lead.

Again Figo caused problems on the flank. He made himself a yard on the right and whipped a low cross into the goalmouth where Gomes nipped ahead of Fatih Akyel and scored with a diving header.

Pinto came close to extending the lead in first-half stoppage time. The striker volleyed wide after some magical footwork from Rui Costa.

But it was Turkey who wasted a golden chance to level. Couto brought down Arif as the little striker darted towards goal and ref Jol pointed to the spot.

Arif took the kick himself, driving it hard and low to Vitor Baia's right but the Portuguese keeper blocked the shot and his team scrambled the rebound to safety.