Portugal’s goalkeeper, Diogo Costa, became the hero of the night, saving three penalties to secure a 3-0 shoot-out victory over Slovenia in a gripping Euro 2024 last 16 clash on Monday.
Cristiano Ronaldo redeemed himself in the shoot-out after missing a crucial penalty in the first period of extra-time during the goalless encounter in Frankfurt.
The dramatic game saw Ronaldo break down in tears after his initial miss but he regained composure to convert in the shoot-out, helping Portugal advance to a highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown with France.
Slovenia, in their first-ever knockout stage appearance at a major tournament, put up a strong defensive front, with Jan Oblak making a remarkable save to deny Ronaldo’s penalty following Diogo Jota being fouled.
Despite their resilience, Slovenia could not withstand the pressure as Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva all netted their penalties while the Slovenian players faltered.
Portugal’s coach Roberto Martinez switched back to a traditional 4-3-3 formation after the team’s surprising defeat to Georgia in their last group match, where he had experimented with a three-man defense.
This strategic adjustment allowed the Euro 2016 champions to dominate possession early on, creating their first significant chance at 12 minutes when Silva’s cross narrowly missed Ronaldo and Fernandes at the far post.
Slovenia, maintaining a solid defensive shape, managed to limit Portugal’s opportunities. Ronaldo’s tame header was comfortably saved by Oblak, and Slovenian defender Vanja Drkusic earned a yellow card for a foul on Rafael Leao.
Ronaldo’s free-kick from the resulting foul just missed the target, with Oblak at full stretch.
The first half saw Slovenia’s RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko test Costa with a shot from the edge of the box, while Portugal’s Joao Palhinha struck the post with a low drive just before the halftime whistle.
In the second half, Ronaldo continued to press, with Oblak saving a powerful free-kick. Slovenia’s best chance came when Sesko outpaced the veteran Pepe but dragged his shot wide.
Ronaldo, determined to break the deadlock, missed another free-kick and failed to convert a late chance, shooting straight at Oblak.
The pace slowed in extra-time, but the game sparked back to life when Jota won a penalty, only for Ronaldo’s attempt to be spectacularly saved by Oblak.
The miss left Ronaldo in tears, but Portugal’s fans rallied behind him.
Slovenia missed a crucial chance when Sesko’s effort was saved by Costa, leading to the historic penalty shoot-out. Costa’s heroics continued as he saved penalties from Josip Ilicic, Jure Balkovec, and Benjamin Verbic. Ronaldo, Fernandes, and Silva confidently scored their penalties, sealing Portugal’s dramatic progression.
Portugal now prepares for a thrilling encounter with France in the quarterfinals, with Ronaldo and his teammates hoping to build on their nerve-wracking victory.
