LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Portugal advanced to the final of a major soccer championship for the first time yesterday by beating the Netherlands, 2-1, in the semi-final of Euro 2004.

Cristiano Ronaldo headed home a corner in the 26th minute and Nuno Maniche drove a stunning 22-metre strike into the top left corner of Edwin van der Sar's goal in the 58th to put the hosts two goals ahead before a Jorge Andrade own goal gave the Dutch some hope.

The Portuguese, who lost 2-1 to underdogs Greece in the opening game, finally made it to a championship game after semi-final exits at the 1966 World Cup and the 1984 and 2000 Euros.

The Dutch, who won the Euro title in 1988, lost in the semi-final for the second time in a row, having been beaten by Italy four years ago in Rotterdam.

Before 46,679 fans at Sporting Lisbon's Jose Alvalade Stadium, the Portuguese regularly opened up a Dutch defence missing injured veteran Frank de Boer and could have gone into half-time two or three goals ahead.

In the ninth minute Luis Figo, who was the main source of the best Portuguese moves and was named man of the match, broke down the right and sent over a low cross, but Ronaldo, sliding in just three meters from the goalline, was unable to get his foot to the ball.

But the Portuguese were soon ahead, this time from a corner.

Ronaldo won it on the left, Deco delivered the cross and the teenager was perfectly positioned and unmarked to head home from close range. Ronaldo pulled off his shirt in celebration and was shown a yellow card by Swedish referee Anders Frisk.

The Dutch had a chance to level within a minute, but the unmarked Marc Overmars, recalled for his first start of the championship, fired over the bar with an angled 10 metre strike after Edgar Davids' left wing cross had been flicked on.

The Portuguese should have gone two ahead when Deco sent Maniche clear down the right and his low cross found Pauleta in front of goal. The Paris Saint Germain striker, recalled instead of the injured Nuno Gomes, had left his marker and got in a firm close range shot but it was too close to Van der Sar who pushed it round the post.

The Dutch had the ball in the net in the 38th minute, but it was ruled offside and Overmars was shown a yellow card for arguing with the linesman.

Five minutes before half-time, Figo again went close when he cut in from the right and fired a leftfooted shot that beat Van der Sar but hit the far post.

Dutch coach Dick Advocaat sent on Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay for Overmars to give striker Ruud van Nistelrooy more support in the middle.

A second Portuguese goal came within three minutes when Stam's headed clearance at the near post gave the home team a corner. Maniche collected the short corner and unleashed an angled 22-meter shot that flew past Van der Sar and went in off the far post.