France vs. Belgium: A Narrow Escape
On the third day of the UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16 knockout stage, France displayed an aggressive offensive intent from the start. However, the Belgian defense held firm, and the first half ended in a stalemate despite France’s 62% possession and eight attempts on goal. The breakthrough came in the 85th minute when a shot by France’s Randal Kolo Muani deflected off Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen into his own net, securing France a 1-0 victory and a spot in the quarter-finals.
Portugal vs. Slovenia: A Penalty Shootout Decider
Portugal and Slovenia battled through regular and extra time without scoring. The match was ultimately decided in a penalty shootout, where Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved three penalties. Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva all scored, leading Portugal to a 0(3)-0(0) victory and advancing to the quarter-finals.
France 1:0 Belgium (Real-time Data)
World-ranked No. 2 France faced off against No. 3 Belgium, with France in a 4-3-1-2 formation and Belgium in a 4-3-3. Within 25 minutes, France received three yellow cards, but Belgium couldn’t capitalize on their free kicks. Despite France’s dominance in possession and attempts on goal, the first half ended goalless.
Second Half Drama
In the second half, France continued to press, with Marcus Thuram narrowly missing a header in the 51st minute. Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku had a powerful shot on target in the 71st minute, but French goalkeeper Mike Maignan made a crucial save. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when Kolo Muani’s shot deflected off Vertonghen into the Belgian net, securing France’s advancement.
Portugal 0(3):0(0) Slovenia (Real-time Data)
Portugal, ranked No. 6 globally, faced No. 57 Slovenia, with Portugal in a 4-3-3 formation and Slovenia in a 4-4-2. Portugal controlled 61% of the ball and had five shots in the first half, including two free kicks by Ronaldo and a near-miss by Joao Palhinha. Despite these efforts, the score remained 0-0 at halftime.
Missed Opportunities
In the second half, Ronaldo’s free kick in the 55th minute was saved by Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko missed a close chance in the 61st minute, and the match proceeded to extra time still goalless. In the 102nd minute, Ronaldo missed a penalty, leading to a tearful moment on the field.
Penalty Shootout Triumph
In the penalty shootout, Portugal’s Diogo Costa saved three penalties, while Ronaldo, Fernandes, and Silva scored. This dramatic finish gave Portugal a 0(3)-0(0) victory over Slovenia, setting up a quarter-final clash with France.(jilibet)