France eliminates Portugal, reaches Euro 2024

France eliminates Portugal, reaches Euro 2024 | Daily Tribune

HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) — Theo Hernandez scored the winning kick as Kylian Mbappe’s France edged a tense Euro 2024 quarterfinal clash with Portugal, 5-3, on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes on Friday in what will likely be remembered as Cristiano Ronaldo’s last-ever match at the tournament.

France was successful with all its penalties to advance in a semifinal showdown with Spain, while Portugal’s Joao Felix was the only player to miss, sending his team’s third kick against the post.

It was an overdue success in a shoot-out for the French as they lost the 2022 World Cup final on penalties to Argentina and went out of the last Euros three years ago in the same way, against Switzerland in the Last 16.

They also lost on penalties in the last major tournament in Germany, going down to Italy in the final of the 2006 World Cup.

Mbappe, who missed the crucial kick against the Swiss, was already off the pitch by the time this shoot-out came around, having been replaced by Bradley Barcola midway through extra time.

Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Youssouf Fofana and Jules Kounde also scored from the spot for France.

“I am proud of my players. Even if we are not doing everything perfectly we don’t give up,” France coach Didier Deschamps said.

“Once again we are in the semifinal. I will savor this a little even if we have another game coming up.”

Mbappe endured a frustrating evening as he continues to search for his best form in the competition but appears inhibited while wearing a mask to protect the nose he broke against Austria in France’s opening game.

At least he will get another chance to star in the semifinal, while Ronaldo, at 39, appears to have played at the Euros for the last time.

This has been his sixth European Championship, but he failed to add to his tournament record tally of 14 goals in Germany after misfiring in all of Portugal’s five matches.

He scored his penalty, Portugal’s first, but Roberto Martinez’s team went out having failed to find the net in over six hours of football.

They beat Slovenia on penalties in the last 16 after a goalless draw, but this time fell short in what was a disappointing game in Hamburg.

“In the same way that it was maybe cruel for Slovenia in the last 16, today it was cruel for us. That’s football,” Bernardo Silva told CNN.

Neither of these teams had played anywhere close to their potential in their previous games at the tournament, but especially France, who have got this far without any of their players scoring a goal in open play.

Randal Kolo Muani and Eduardo Camavinga came into the France lineup, while Antoine Griezmann was deployed as a number 10 behind the attackers.

France has been happy to sit off teams and rely on an excellent defense, while also struggling to play with any real intensity when in possession.