France into the semi-finals of the Euros. In Hamburg, Didier Deschamps' men beat Portugal on penalties after 120 goalless minutes and will now face Spain for a place in the final. The French got their revenge on a Portugal side led by Cristiano Ronaldo, who may have played his last match in a major international tournament. Unlike the Euro 2016 final, which the Lusitanians won 1-0 after extra time, the Blues held on this time.
Without Kylian Mbappé, who was substituted at half-time in extra time and suspended for a ball he received near his broken nose, the French managed every penalty to win their first shootout at a major tournament since 1998. It was Theo Hernandez who sent the Blues into the semi-finals, while Joao Felix was the only Portuguese to miss his effort with a shot against the post.
Strong team but not scoring
Previously, the two teams had not yet presented a very exciting match. There were only ten somewhat crazy minutes after the hour mark, during which Bruno Fernandes (61) and Vitinha (63), then Randal Kolo Muani (66) and Eduardo Camavinga (69), wasted the match point.
It is true that the French team has shown devilish solidity and has not conceded a goal in the match since the beginning of the tournament. This practical approach, matched by a glaring lack of efficiency, bears the imprint of Didier Deschamps, who has led France to the semi-finals for the fourth time in the last five major international tournaments.
