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Euro 2024: France beat Portugal on penalties in QF

Mark Hallam
July 5, 2024

France are through to the Euro 2024 semifinals, thanks to a penalty shootout win against Portugal. They will face Spain in the next round, after Germany's exit.

https://p.dw.com/p/4hxBy
Portugal's Joao Felix looks dejected after missing a penalty during the shoot-out. Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, July 5, 2024.
Joao Felix was the only penalty taker to miss the mark, hitting the post rather than the back of the netImage: Carmen Jaspersen/REUTERS

Portugal's Joao Felix missed what proved the decisive spot kick in Hamburg's Volksparkstadion on Friday night, sending France through to the Euro 2024 semifinals. 

Joao Felix's shot against the post was the only miss of the shootout, as France won 5-3 on penalties following a 0-0 draw after extra time. 

Theo Hernandez netted France's fifth penalty to seal the win; there was no need for a 10th and final spot kick from Portugal. 

Ronaldo makes his penalty, France survive shootout sans Mbappe

Portuguese veteran superstar Cristiano Ronaldo played all 120 minutes and scored his penalty. 

But his bid to repeat the fairytale of Euro 2016 faltered at the last, in what the 39-year-old has hinted might be his last major international tournament.  

France, meanwhile, survived a shootout without their star and captain Kylian Mbappe, who was substituted after 105 minutes of play. 

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal receives treatment prior to penalties in Hamburg, Germany, on 05 Jul 2024.
This could be the last time we see 39-year-old Ronaldo wearing the Portugal jersey in a major international tournamentImage: Kieran McManus/Shutterstock/IMAGO

Maignan busy in France's goal, particularly in second half

The game was goalless after 90 minutes, despite a strong start to the second half for Portugal and a sharp save to deny French star Kylian Mbappe in the last moments of regular time. 

France's goalie Mike Maignan probably had more work to do than his Portuguese counterpart Diogo Costa prior to the shootout, not least a pair of big saves just a couple of minutes apart to deny Bruno Fernandez and then Vitinha around the hour mark. 

"It wasn't easy," France goalkeeper Mike Maignan said after the win. "We didn't always play that great, it was a complicated game. We played well defensively."

"We got to the penalty shootout and didn't waver. We can be proud of ourselves," Maignan said.

France's forward #11 Ousmane Dembele (L) challenges Portugal's forward #17 Rafael Leao during the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final football match between Portugal and France at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on July 5, 2024.
The match was a tense affair that opened up in the second halfImage: JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images

France will face Spain in the first semifinal next Tuesday, July 9.   Spain dashed hosts Germany's hopes in Stuttgart in Friday's earlier quarterfinal, winning 2-1 after extra time. 

Material from the Associated Press contributed to this report

Edited by: Rana Taha

Hallam Mark Kommentarbild App
Mark Hallam News and current affairs writer and editor with DW since 2006.@marks_hallam