In what was a heavyweight showdown from Hamburg on Friday night, France booked their EURO 24 semi-final ticket as they secured a nail-biting penalties victory against Portugal.
Two superstar squads that have struggled to find much of a clinical edge over in Germany this summer, chances came at a premium and it almost appeared inevitable that Friday’s battle would be heading to spot kicks.
AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez scored the winning penalty after substitute and former Chelsea loanee Joao Felix hit the outside of the post with his effort, the only miss between both camps.
Looking to get their hands on a first European crown since 2000 this summer, Didier Deschamps’ men will meet Spain on Tuesday night for what looks set to be an iconic semi-final battle in Munich.
As for Portugal, with attacking icon and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo already stating that this will be his final European campaign, the Navigators will take some time to dust themselves down.
Despite making a real qualifying statement last year, the 2016 champions limped their way out of this summer’s tournament and were visibly left heartbroken here.
In what was an anxious affair from Hamburg on Friday night, we have taken a look at the key talking points.
Les Bleus book their semi-final spot
Suffering World Cup heartbreak out in Qatar 18 months ago as they eventually lost their world crown to South American icons Argentina, France were always seeking a major tournament response this summer.
Although the European icons might have only mustered a pair of victories from any of their three Group D appearances last month as they had to settle for a second-place finish behind Austria, Les Bleus are still regarded as a standout contender over the next week.
Booking their spot to Hamburg thanks to a 1-0 win against fellow European giants Belgium, Deschamps’ men have continued on their EURO 24 adventure despite failing to find much of a clinical…
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Author : Tom Dunstan
Publish date : 2024-07-06 08:28:20
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