As he led Portugal back from an early, potentially terminal, deficit to the Netherlands last night, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, struck the base of either post, and had a header uncomfortably saved by the goalkeeper. When it was pointed out that had luck been with Portugal's captain he'd have ended his much-discussed goal drought with five fine finishes, some commented that it was skill he'd been short on, not fortune. Questioning Ronaldo's ability is never a clever idea. The 27-year-old is the most capable footballer at this European Championship; the individual most likely to decide any given game with a moment of individual genius. Portugal have been reshaped to take advantage of that skill. A national team that long based its game on short passing and possession, now plays on the transition. If an opportunity exists to find Ronaldo or Nani with a quick, long pass it will be hit. Compare the official statistics from this Euros to the last World Cup and the switch of strategy is clear. In 2010 Portugal averaged almost 500 passes a game, completing three quarters of them. In defeating the Netherlands, 428 passes were attempted and the completion rate down to 67%. But don't be deceived. Portugal's pragmatic efforts to extract the best from Ronaldo do not mean the group has been forgotten. Tellingly, their captain directed post-match questions away from himself. "The team was spectacular, the team is to be congratulated, and the team deserves to progress," Ronaldo said. "Because we believed in it until the end, and all the players can be congratulated." Their coach followed the same tack. "The individual effort of players is not important, we have an identity, we have certain ideas and then the players put that into practice," said Paulo Bento. And the rest of the squad limited their comments to obligatory UEFA television interviews. "We showed we're a united team, despite what the press has been saying," said Joao Perreira in one. "All of us fight for the same side and that shows on the pitch."