Portugal beat Slovenia and secured a spot in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over Slovenia at the Frankfurt Arena. The match, which ended goalless after extra time, saw Portugal triumph 3-0 on penalties, thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Cristiano Ronaldo experienced an emotional rollercoaster during the match. His penalty in extra time was saved by Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, leaving the Portuguese captain in tears. However, Ronaldo redeemed himself by scoring Portugal’s first penalty in the shootout.
Diogo Costa was the star of the evening, saving all three of Slovenia’s penalty attempts from Josip Ilicic, Jure Balkovec, and Benjamin Verbic. Bernardo Silva sealed the victory with the winning spot kick, sending Portugal through to the quarter-finals where they will face France in Hamburg.
Throughout the match, Portugal dominated possession, holding the ball for 73% of the game and attempting 20 shots compared to Slovenia’s 10. Despite their control, they struggled to break down Slovenia’s defense, and the match remained scoreless through 120 minutes.
Joao Palhinha came close to scoring for Portugal, hitting the post, while Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko missed a golden opportunity in the final minutes of extra time. In the end, it was the penalty shootout that decided the outcome, with Costa’s saves making the difference.
Portugal’s next challenge will be against France, a formidable opponent, in what promises to be an exciting quarter-final clash.
Melissa Enoch
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