By France secured a dramatic victory over Portugal in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, winning 5-3 on penalties after a tense 0-0 draw in regular and extra time. The match, held at a packed stadium, showcased defensive prowess from both sides and nail-biting moments throughout.
The penalty shootout proved to be the ultimate decider in this closely contested battle. Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring for France, followed by successful conversions from Youssouf Fofana, Jules Kounde, and Bradley Barcola. Portugal kept pace with goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva, but Joao Felix’s miss, hitting the post, proved costly. Theo Hernandez sealed the victory for France with the final penalty, sending Les Bleus to the semi-finals.
Key moments in regular time and extra time:
– Both teams struggled to break through solid defensive lines
– Cristiano Ronaldo missed a golden opportunity in extra time, blasting over from close range
– Joao Felix narrowly missed, hitting the side netting in the dying minutes of extra time
– Kylian Mbappe was substituted late in extra time, raising eyebrows
The match was characterized by intense midfield battles and sporadic attacking bursts. France seemed content to play conservatively, while Portugal grew in confidence as the game progressed. Diogo Costa, Portugal’s goalkeeper, entered the penalty shootout with high confidence after his heroics against Slovenia in the previous round, but couldn’t repeat his performance.
Notable performances:
– Pepe showed his experience with crucial blocks, particularly against Mbappe
– Ousmane Dembele provided France’s main attacking threat with his dribbling skills
– Francisco Conceicao impressed for Portugal after coming on as a substitute
This result continues France’s impressive run in the tournament and sets them up as strong contenders for the title. For Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, it marks a disappointing end to their Euro 2024 campaign, despite a valiant effort.
The match highlighted the fine margins in knockout football and the psychological aspects of penalty shootouts. France’s victory sets up an intriguing semi-final clash, while Portugal will reflect on missed opportunities in a game they arguably had the better of in the latter stages.
