Euro 2016-Ronaldo leads Portugal into Euro final

LYON, France 6th July 2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo upstaged Gareth Bale to propel Portugal into its second European Championship final, scoring a thumping header and then setting up Nani’s goal in a 2-0 win over Wales on Wednesday.

The goals came in the space of three minutes early in the second half in Lyon, helping end Wales’ unlikely run to the semifinals in only its second ever major tournament.

Ronaldo equaled France great Michel Platini’s record of nine goals in European Championship football when he timed a prodigious leap to perfection and planted home a header in the 50th.

The Real Madrid star then sent in a long-range shot that a sliding Nani diverted into the net from 10 meters.

Ronaldo- a serial winner in individual and team prizes in club football – will get another chance to win his first trophy on the international stage against either France or Germany in Sunday’s final at the Stade de France.

“It’s what we have dreamt of since the beginning,” Ronaldo said. “We knew it would be a long road and we’re still in the tournament.”

Portugal last competed in a final at Euro 2004, when the team surprisingly lost on home soil to Greece. A 19-year-old Ronaldo shed tears after that match, but he has managed to lead a much weaker side to another international showpiece.

Ronaldo shared a long conversation with Bale after the final whistle and the Madrid teammates embraced. This could have been the match where Bale emerged from Ronaldo’s shadow, but that will have to wait.

“It’s very disappointing to be so close to the final,” Bale said, “but we have to be proud. This is a proud moment for us, we have achieved a lot.”

Competing in its first tournament since the 1958 World Cup, Wales – a rugby-mad nation of 3 million people – has been one of the most popular stories of Euro 2016, topping its group and then beating highly fancied Belgium in the quarterfinals.

But the Welsh had no response to the successive blows dealt by Ronaldo after a turgid first half that had been illuminated by a couple of surging runs from Bale.

Portugal hadn’t previously won a match in regulation 90 minutes in France, but there would be no late drama here thanks to Ronaldo.

The owner of the best leap in world football, Ronaldo timed his jump perfectly and headed home left back Raphael Guerreiro’s cross off a short-corner routine. Wales defender James Chester was blindsided by Ronaldo, who scored his third goal of the tournament – one less than France forward Antoine Griezmann.

It was telling that when they needed to chase the game, the Welsh could only throw on a striker from the third tier of English football – Simon Church. The absence of attacking midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who was suspended on Wednesday, was keenly felt.

There were a couple of half-chances for Wales late on, but Portugal could have doubled the margin of victory by the end, with Joao Mario hitting the post with one of the chances on the breakaway.

Portugal had lost five of its previous six semifinal matches in major tournaments.

After the final whistle, Wales headed over to applaud their fans, who didn’t stop singing in the corner of the Stade de Lyon.

“We have no regrets,” Bale said. “We’re a proud nation and proud of what we achieved.”

Meanwhile, Portugal – defying pre-tournament expectations – is heading to Saint-Denis as Ronaldo chases that elusive international title.

“We had difficult moments,” Ronaldo said, “but it’s like I always say, it’s better to start poorly and have a positive ending, The dream is still alive.”

Euro 2016: Portugal beat Poland on penalties to reach semi-final

Football Soccer – Poland v Portugal – EURO 2016 – Quarter Final – Stade Velodrome, Marseille, France – 30/6/16 Portugal’s Renato Sanches scores their first goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Stade Velodrome, France 30th June 2016: Portugal reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016 by beating Poland 5-3 on penalties after the two sides drew 1-1 after extra time on Thursday.

Jakub Blaszczykowski failed to convert Poland’s fourth penalty, which was saved by Rui Patricio, as Portugal earned a semi-final against either Wales or Belgium in Lyon on Wednesday.

Poland raced into the lead in the second minute when Kamil Grosicki burst down the left and crossed into the middle where Robert Lewandowski sidefooted the ball into the net for his first goal of the competition.

Renato Sanches, 18, and starting an international for the first time, leveled for Portugal after 33 minutes, collecting Nani’s backheeled pass and firing past Lukasz Fabianski from the edge of the penalty area.

Reuters

Ronaldo on target as Portugal and Hungary go through

LYON, FRANCE

Hungary and Portugal reached the Euro 2016 knockout stages after a rip-roaring 3-3 draw in which Cristiano Ronaldo netted twice and became the first player to score at four European Championship finals on Wednesday.

The Portuguese came from behind three times as Ronaldo, who also set a tournament record of 17 appearances, finally rediscovered his touch to help Portugal make the last 16, where they will meet Croatia in Lens on Saturday.

Group F winners Hungary finished above Iceland, who also qualified after a last-gasp 2-1 win over Austria in Paris, and third-placed Portugal.

Football Soccer – Hungary v Portugal – EURO 2016 – Group F – Stade de Lyon, Lyon, France – 22/6/16 Hungary’s Balazs Dzsudzsak celebrates after scoring their second goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Hungary will play the Group E runners-up, which will be decided later on Wednesday between Belgium, Sweden and Ireland, while Iceland will face England.

Ronaldo equalised twice in the second half after Zoltan Gera’s early strike was cancelled out by Nani just before the break. Hungary captain Balazs Dzsudzsak had twice put his side ahead before Ronaldo burst into life with a double strike.

“We’re happy as we’re still in the tournament. It was a tough game but we created chances and se scored goals,” said Portugal coach Fernando Santos.

Portugal had promised the goals would flow and they did.

Like in their previous two matches against Iceland and Austria, Portugal enjoyed sterile possession in the early stages and rarely troubled their rivals with a flurry of crosses easily dealt with by the Hungarian defence.

With Ronaldo totally subdued, Hungary looked more likely to score through sporadic but dangerous raids.

In the 19th minute, the 37-year old Gera took a half-cleared corner into his stride and unleashed a fizzing low-half volley past Rui Patricio from 25 metres.

Rocked by the setback, Portugal nearly fell two goals behind several minutes later after Patricio was forced to parry a stinging shot by the hardworking Akos Elek.

However, Ronaldo, struggling for form at Euro 2016, released Nani with a defence-splitting pass and his strike partner beat Gabor Kiraly with a neat finish from inside the penalty area three minutes before the break.

The Hungarians were back in front in the 47th minute as Dzsudzsak beat Patricio with a free kick.

After throwing a reporter’s microphone into a lake earlier in the day during a morning walkabout, Ronaldo produced his best moment of the tournament in the 50th, beating Kiraly with a clever back-heel after good work by Nani.

Hungary took the lead for the third time.

Having had another free kick blocked by the wall, Dzsudsak took the rebound in his stride on the edge of the area and fired a speculative shot which sailed past Patricio.

Hungary’s joy was short-lived, however, as Ronaldo levelled with a thumping header after a superb cross by substitute Ricardo Quaresma, drawing an eruption of joy from the Portuguese fans behind Kiraly’s goal.

Reuters

Ronaldo misses penalty as Portuguese stumble to goalless draw

Portugal vs Austria, Euro 2016:  Cristiano Ronaldo misses penalty as Portuguese stumble to goalless draw

Portugal’s last attack runs aground and Austria run down the last few seconds to seal a point.

Ronaldo tucks his captain’s armband into his shorts, and applauds the fans while looking bereft. Attack after attack, cross after cross, shot after shot…and Austria held firm for 78 minutes until Ronaldo had the chance to bury them.

 

More to follow ….