PORTUGAL SCRAPE THROUGH ON PENALTIES
Portugal narrowly avoided a huge upset and beat Slovenia on penalties to reach the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, with goalkeeper Diogo Costa the hero on a night on which Cristiano Ronaldo played like a villain.
Ronaldo had a penalty saved in extra time, after a generally turgid affair remained goalless at 90 minutes with a series of Ronaldo free kicks – three of which were off-target – the main talking point.
Benjamin Sesko had a huge chance for Slovenia in the second half of extra time after mishap from 41-year-old Pepe, who looked that age once he had played for more than 100 minutes, but Costa saved the one-on-one.
So penalties were required to settle the tie and Costa saved all three of Slovenia’s spot kicks. Portugal, through Ronaldo, Bruno Ferandes and Berardo Silva, scored all three.
They advance to play France in the quarter-finals, while Slovenia can go home with heads held high after reaching the knockout rounds at a major tournament for the first time.
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