PORTUGAL advanced to the quarter-finals of the Euro 2024 European Championship tonight after a 3-0 penalty shootout victory over Slovenia in Frankfurt, Germany.
The match ended 0-0 after full-time and extra-time, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Benjamin Sesko missing the best chances to win it before it went to penalties.
After a tepid 90 minutes of precious few scoring chances, the best opportunities arrived in extra-time.
First, Ronaldo’s penalty was saved by Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak in the 10th minute of extra-time after Diogo Jota was brought down in the box.
Sesko, who has been linked with big moves this summer, then missed a glorious opportunity to win it for Slovenia with fewer than five minutes left to the end of extra-time.
The RB Leipzig striker was clean through on goal after a slip by the 41-year-old Pepe, but the 21-year-old’s one-on-one effort was saved by the outstretched leg of Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The FC Porto goalkeeper went on to become the hero for his country, saving all of Slovenia’s three penalties while Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva all converted for Portugal.
The 2016 champions Portugal will in the quarter-finals face France, whose last European Championship triumph was in 2000.
