Portugal struggled in vain for 120 minutes against the outsiders Slovenia and then managed to reach the European Championship quarter-finals in a penalty shoot-out.
Swiss-born goalkeeper Diogo Costa was the match-winner in Frankfurt, saving all three penalty attempts by the Slovenians after 120 goalless minutes, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva scored. After Ronaldo failed to score from the penalty spot in extra time, Portugal finally found their penalty luck and will play France in Hamburg on Friday evening for a place in the semi-finals.
In extra time, both teams each had an excellent chance to score the winning goal. First Ronaldo: the 39-year-old failed to beat Slovenia keeper Jan Oblak with a penalty in the 105th minute. Ten minutes later, it was Benjamin Seko on the other side who failed to score alone in front of Costa - after an almost fatal mistake by Pepe, the other Portuguese oldie next to Ronaldo.
Ronaldo everywhere
Ronaldo, who could have become the oldest European Championship goalscorer with a goal, should at least be given credit for being one of the few Portuguese players to get his shots on target. The strong Oblak had to make two saves from Ronaldo even before he stepped up from the penalty spot for the first time. Portugal, with so many tricky and technically strong players, were increasingly devoid of ideas after an appealing start to the game.
The action that led to the penalty was the result of pure desperation. Substitute Diogo Jota tried to head through the Slovenian defensive wall and was rather generously awarded the penalty by Italian referee Daniele Orsato.
Slovenia not rewarded
In their first knockout game at the finals, the Slovenians hardly came under pressure at all. The outsiders freed themselves time and again and moved the ball, not elegantly, but skillfully into the other danger zone. The heading power of the big strikers, Benjamin Sesko, Andraz Sporar, a former Basel player, and Luganese substitute Zan Celar, who came on later, helped. Leipzig's Sesko came close to crowning a counter-attack after an hour. He almost got rid of the 40-year-old Pepe in a running duel. However, his finish was completely unsuccessful.
Portugal, who have now been without a goal at this European Championship for over 240 minutes, came away with a black eye and can continue to dream of winning their second European Championship title since 2016. This is the fourth time they have faced France in a European Championship knockout round. Each time (1984, 2000 and 2016), the winner also became European champions.
Telegram:
Portugal - Slovenia 0:0 n.V.; Portugal 3:0 winners on penalties
Frankfurt. - 46'576 spectators. - Referee Orsato (ITA). - Penalty shoot-out: Ilicic - (Costa saves), Ronaldo 1:0; Balkovec - (Costa saves), Bruno Fernandes 2:0; Verbic - (Costa saves), Bernardo Silva 3:0.
Portugal: Costa; Cancelo (117. Semedo), Dias, Pepe (117. Ruben Neves); Mendes; Bruno Fernandes, Palhinha, Vitinha (65. Jota); Silva, Ronaldo, Leão (76. Conceição).
Slovenia: Oblak; Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Balkovec; Stojanovic (86. Verbic), Gnezda Cerin, Elsnik (106. Ilicic), Mlakar (74. Gorenc Stankovic); Sporar (74. Celar), Sesko.
Comments: Portugal complete. Slovenia without Janza (suspended). 105th Oblak saves Ronaldo's foul penalty. 105th red card against Kek (coach Slovenia). Cautions: 32nd Drkusic, 37th Karnicnik, 101st Gorenc Stankovic, 106th Bijol, 107th Cancelo, 107th Balkovec, 111th Martinez (coach Portugal).
