Effective Belgium sent Portugal and Ronaldo out of the European Championship – VG

Efficient Belgium kept away and will thus meet Italy in the quarterfinals in Munich next Friday.

– In this type of match, you have to seize the chances with both hands. And “voila”, the goalkeeper expected me to shoot in the other corner, and the ball went in, described the match winner according to UEFA.com.

The decision came three minutes before the break. Then Borussia Dortmund player Thorgan Hazard got the ball outside the penalty area without the Portuguese being fierce enough in the pressure.

Little brother Hazard clinked and the ball got a perfect screw away from Rui Patrício. The Portugal goalkeeper threw himself to the left, but just did not reach the ball that drilled into the net. The shot was no better placed than Patricio should have gotten his fingers on.

As it was also the match’s only goal, it probably gnaws extra experienced Patrício who despaired while big brother and Belgium captain Eden congratulated the two year younger Thorgan.

The scoring was by the way Belgium’s only end to the goal during the match.

Proud

Portugal also struggled for a long time to get chances at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville, but still created enough to have deserved an equalizer.

After 82 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by Ruben Diaz might have resulted in another goal for Bruno Fernandes. Thibaut Courtois got the finish right on him, and saved. Just a minute later, Raphaël Guerreiro thunders the ball into the post.

That would not be the case for Portugal. Not even then, substitute João Félix finished outside in overtime. There and then was the last chance for the Portuguese to secure extra innings.

Early in the round, Diogo Jota burned a good opportunity after preparation by Ronaldo. Jota also had a great chance after just five minutes of the match, but blew the ball outside from a fine position inside the box.

– I did not have much to do in the previous three matches, but I knew that it would be something else against Portugal. I’m proud of my teammates. They defended very well. Italy will also be difficult, but we showed today that we are ready for that, Courtois said after the match.

De Bruyne injured

A big question now is whether Kevin De Bruyne can play it. The midfield conductor had to go out with an injury early in the second half, and saw the drama from the sidelines. It was probably an ankle blow he received in the first place that was the cause of De Bruyne’s injury – Eden Hazard also had to go out with injuries.

– It is too early to say how they are doing. We need another 48 hours before we know it. For Kevin, it’s the ankle, he was subjected to a very ugly tackle. He did not manage to turn around in the second half. For Eden, it is a feeling in the muscle, but we have to wait for a diagnosis, says Belgium’s national team manager Roberto Martínez.

– We travel home to Belgium tonight, and then we will examine them tomorrow.

It was never the big duel that was expected between De Bruyne and Ronaldo. Nor did the Portuguese superstar manage to deliver from the top shelf to anyone a few days after he scored his 109th national team goal in The 2-2 match against France.

Had he scored against Belgium, he would have set a new record in the number of national team goals on the men’s side, but so far he must share that credit with Ali Daei. The Iranian striker, who ravaged the 90s and 2000s, also stood at 109.

36-year-old Ronaldo seemed frustrated already in the first half against Belgium, and the closest he came to scoring was a free kick in the first half which Courtois saved without major problems.

Portugal won European Championship gold in Paris five years ago, but now Fernando Santos’ team is out of the tournament.

PS! Belgium reached the quarterfinals of the European Championships in 2016 as well. Then the team smoked out against Wales.

–