Portugal v Slovenia LIVE: Result as Diogo Costa saves Cristiano Ronaldo’s blushes in Euro 2024 penalty shootout
Cristiano Ronaldo and his talented Portugal team booked a quarter-final place at Euro 2024
Bernardo Silva struck the winning spot kick and Diogo Costa made three saves as Portugal won a penalty shootout 3-0 against battling Slovenia to reach the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 where they will meet France.
After a scoreless 90 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo had a chance to put Portugal ahead from the penalty spot in the first half of extra time, but Jan Oblak saved brilliantly to leave the Portuguese captain in tears.
Neither side could fashion a goal and the game went to penalties, with Josep Ilicic having the first kick saved for the Slovenians before Ronaldo put his side ahead, and when Jure Balkovec’s spot kick was saved the writing was on the wall.
Costa then saved from Benjamin Verbic, setting Silva up to confidently slot home the winner to put Portugal through to the last eight and a meeting with the French in Hamburg on Friday.
Follow all the reaction from Portugal v Slovenia in Frankfurt below.
Portugal 0-0 Slovenia, 50 minutes
Benjamin Sesko tries to thread Andraz Sporar through, but puts too much mustard on the pass, dragging his strike partner wide and allowing Portugal to regather. It would have mattered not, actually - Sporar had stepped beyond the Portuguese back four too soon and the flag belatedly goes up.
Portugal 0-0 Slovenia, 49 minutes
Some amateur acrobatics from Timi Elsnik, a high kick showing off some impressive flexibility as he contorts his left leg up by his shoulder in an attempt to hook the ball goalwards. Unfortunately, he can’t make quite enough contact.
Portugal 0-0 Slovenia, 47 minutes
Wasteful from Bernardo Silva! Joao Cancelo shimmies and shakes by three Slovenia defenders and his cut back is half-cleared to the Manchester City midfielder. Silva eyes up the top corner but fails to hit the target from just inside the box.
Portugal 0-0 Slovenia, 46 minutes
No half-time changes, if you were wondering.
Pepe toes the ball right into Joao Palhinha’s face, the midfielder rearing back and then asking for an apology, which the veteran defender sheepishly provides. No harm done, either to Palhinha’s schnozz or Portugal with Slovenia unable to capitalise on the miscommunication.
Second half...
They are back out there in Frankfurt. Can Slovenia hold firm for 45 minutes more? Off we go again.
HT: Portugal 0-0 Slovenia
France, of course, await the winner of this Round of 16 encounter - but a win over Belgium answered few of the lingering questions about Didier Deschamps’ men. Miguel Delaney was in Dusseldorf to make sense of it all:
The piece of luck that sent dour France past Belgium and into Euros quarter-finals
France 1-0 Belgium: Jan Vertonghen diverted Randal Kolo Muani’s harmless shot into his own goal on an evening of fine margins
HT: Portugal 0-0 Slovenia
A strangely entertaining game so far with the contrasting approaches providing an intriguing battle. Slovenia have defended smartly and strongly plus offered a threat on the counter attack, but Portugal have found ways of opening up a tightly-packed defence at times and will feel disappointed not to have converted one of their chances. Most of them have fallen to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has shown both a lack of sharpness and a degree of petulance as his search for his first goal at Euro 2024 goes on.
Portugal 0-0 Slovenia, 45 +2 minutes
Off the post and away! So close for Joao Palhinha with the final kick before the interval, trimming a pleasant path across the grass from 20 yards. It flicks the woodwork and thuds into the advertising hoardings beyond.
Portugal 0-0 Slovenia, 45 minutes
Jaka Bijol wins a near post header from a Slovenia corner, but can’t direct it on target.
Into two added minutes at the end of the half.
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