After a 0-0 tie and a penalty kick by Portugal’s Joao Felix, Theo Hernandez scored the winning penalty for France, advancing Didier Deschamps’ team to a Euro 2024 semi-final matchup with Spain.
Cristiano Ronaldo did not cry during Portugal’s victory over Slovenia in the round of sixteen, but even though he converted his own penalty kick, the 39-year-old’s final Euro campaign ended in defeat. At the end of it all, he was left to comfort his excellent 41-year-old teammate Pepe.
Both teams will believe they might have won it in the second half of normal time, even though Ronaldo was mostly off the pitch during the tense match. Mike Maignan of France made two excellent saves to deny Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha before smothering Ronaldo’s subsequent backheel. At the other end, Randal Kolo Muani’s attempt was stopped by Ruben Dias before Eduardo Camavinga curled beyond the far post from close range.
Effectual sub In the closing seconds of regulation time, Ousmane Dembele missed a post, but these recent European champions chose to play cautious in extra time. Ronaldo’s half-chance was ruined as Pepe and Dayot Upamecano celebrated like goals with blocks.
The main talking point of that additional session was Kylian Mbappe’s substitution at halftime due to a facial injury he had earlier in the game. The star player for France, hiding behind a mask and recovering from a broken nose, must have been in excruciating pain to leave the pitch prior to the shootout, but his teammates were flawless from 12 yards away.
Hernandez had the opportunity to lead France into the final four and a Tuesday matchup with Spain in Munich when Joao Felix, the lone player to miss, struck his shot against an upright.
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