Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Costa Lead Portugal To Euro 2024 Quarter-finals

Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to the quarter-final of the Euro 2024 against a very compact and resilient Slovenia side earlier today, July 1, 2024.

Portugal and Slovenia met at the Deutsche Bank Park for the round of 16 encounter which was expected to be a walk in the park for Cristiano Ronaldo and his star-studded national team. Interestingly, they didn’t find it as easy as expected.

The Portuguese side enjoyed the most of the ball possession but Slovenia were solid at the back throughout the encounter.

With Portugal’s 73 per cent of the ball possession against Slovenia’s 27 per cent, no goal was recorded in regulation time. Cristiano Ronaldo had the chance to win it for his country in the 105th minute via the penalty spot but goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved his attempt.

Out of Portugal’s 20 shots, only 6 managed to be on target. Their opponents managed to record ten shots, two of which were on target.

After 90 minutes of regulation time and 30 minutes of extra time, no goal was recorded as the game had to be decided via penalties.

Goalkeeper Diogo Costa was the hero of the night as he stopped Josip Iličić’s opening penalty kick. Afterwards, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to redeem himself as he scored Portugal’s first kick of the shootout.

Costa continued his stunning display in the shootout as Portugal knocked out Slovenia 3-0 via penalty to book a place in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.