Match: 0-0 (3-0 in tabs)
The Blues will face Portugal in the quarter-finals on Friday 5 July in Hamburg. The Lusitanians and Slovenians competed on the Frankfurt night to advance to the next round in a thrilling match until the end (0-0, 3-0 in the tabs).
Tears of sadness gave way to tears of joy. Deeply affected by the missed penalty in extra time, Cristiano Ronaldo found his smile again half an hour later, after the Portuguese team qualified, giving himself a repeat of the Euro 2016 final.
As expected, Slovenia hampered Portugal with their low block, their constant solidarity and their impenetrable defensive axis. And their top-class goalkeeper: Jan Oblak remarkably won a duel in the 89th minute against Cristiano Ronaldo before his penalty hit the post (103rd). However, the Lusitanian wings were effective, with Mendes Leao on one side and especially Cancelo Silva on the other. But the Portuguese lacked precision and communication. The toxic positions of Fernandes (4th) or Silva (13th) did not find a taker. Palhinha's shot found the post (45th) and then he headed home from an Oblak corner from the 108th minute. The Atlético goalkeeper was one of the great men of the match. But he was a little weaker than his Portuguese counterpart.
7
Portugal have reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship for a record seventh time, but the Portuguese have not reached the semi-finals since their continental triumph in 2016.
Man: Diogo Costa as a hero
He had nothing to do during regulation time but Diogo Costa was very hot at the end of the match. The Porto goalkeeper won for the first time in his 115th encounter against Benjamin Sisko, who fired home the rebound after a mistake by the veteran Pepe (41 years and 126 days, a record in a knockout match at a major tournament). But above all he was imperial during the penalty shootout. Thus he stopped all the Slovenian shots (Ilicic, Balkovic, Verbeek). This has never happened in the Euros. Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the first attempt for his team, then turned to the camera, dazzled.
Costa: 'It might be the best game of my life'
