France converted all their kicks in a shootout to edge Portugal 5-3 on penalties after a goalless stalemate in their European Championship quarter-final on Friday, likely bringing the curtain down on Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career.
Theo Hernandez stroked home the winning kick for a perfect sequence after Joao Felix’s effort, the third for Portugal, hit the post. France will now play Spain in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Munich.
Defeat for Portugal is set to spell the end of the 21-year international career of 39-year-old Ronaldo, who converted their first kick in the shootout but was also responsible for one of the night’s many glaring misses.
Success for France makes up for shootout heartbreak at the last Euros, when they were eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16, and in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina.
Ousmane Dembele, Youssouf Fofana, Jules Kounde and Bradley Barcola all netted their spot kicks for victorious France.
A game that was slow in firing up ended with a myriad of missed opportunities at either end, with clear chances for both sides in 90 minutes as well as the half hour of extra time.
France now find themselves in the semis without scoring in open play at the tournament, having benefitted from two own goals and a penalty in their previous four games.
But the French have also not conceded in open play at Euro 2024 with goalkeeper Mike Maignan making two key saves in Friday’s match that proved key for his side.
CAUTIOUS START
Both teams started cautiously, intent on keeping possession and avoiding mistakes. The play was therefore often pedestrian with only periodic bursts of action.
It took 16 minutes before the first shot was fired off in anger – Bruno Fernandes’ effort hitting Hernandez and deflecting away for a corner.
Soon after the second half kicked off, the contest rose from its slumber.
A rare contribution from the masked Kylian Mbappe was a clever combination with N’Golo Kante that produced a rapid fire shot, swallowed up by goalkeeper Diogo Costa. France’s captain Mbappe had another off night in attack.
Within minutes, Hernandez’s square ball from the left beat the Portuguese defence as it went invitingly across goal, crying out for a tap-in but with no one to meet it.
Maignan then made two crucial saves in the space of three minutes – a stiff arm reaction to deny Fernandes on the hour, followed by a point blank stop from Vitinha after another of Rafael Leao’s probing runs.
