GENEVA, Jun 7 (SW) - A goal from defender Pepe lifted Portugal to a deserved 2-0 victory over Turkey in their Euro 2008 Group A opener on Saturday in Geneva.

Pepe thought he had given Portugal the lead in the 17th minute when he headed in a cross by Simão from the left, but the center-back had just snuck in offside and the goal was wiped out.

Twenty minutes later, Cristiano Ronaldo came close to the opener when a free kick from the same spot as Simão's earlier cross was ever so slightly tipped onto the post by Turkey goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.

Portugal would eventually get the goal that had eluded them in the 61st minute when Pepe came through the middle, played a one-two with Nuno Gomes and slotted home his first international goal. The lead nearly double a few minutes later when a Ronaldo cross was headed off the bar by Nuno Gomes.

Turkey's best chance for an equalizer came eight minutes from time when Emre Asik sent a wide-open header off-target from a corner kick.

Meireles then put it away in stoppage time slotting home into a wide open net just before the final whistle,