France is clear for the semifinal in the European Championship. After a goalless quarterfinal against Portugal, penalties were required to secure advancement.
In the semifinal, Spain awaits. Star defender Pepe cried after the elimination.
It's very painful, says the Portuguese.
For the second European Championship match in a row, penalties were required for Portugal, but unlike in the round of 16 – where the team eliminated Slovenia – it was a loss to France in the quarterfinal.
Big scapegoat became 24-year-old João Félix, who shot his penalty into the post and out for Portugal.
It was otherwise a quarterfinal between two top teams with each their superstar on the pitch – France's Kylian Mbappé and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo – then the audience in Hamburg was treated to an extremely cautious start, where neither team seemed to want to take any risks.
Forced to one-handed save
It took over an hour of play before the match got going. Then, Portugal seemed to shift into higher gear, and lined up three dangerous chances within a couple of minutes.
First, the French goalkeeper Mike Maignan was forced to make a brilliant one-handed save after Bruno Fernandes got a chance. In the sequence that followed, João Cancelo got a chance – but the shot went wide. Only minutes later came the next chance when Vitinha missed a giant opportunity.
France's response to that: Randal Kolo Muani with a chance that forced Portugal's goalkeeper Diogo Costa to intervene to keep the match goalless. Eduardo Camavinga was the next Frenchman to get a chance – but from close range, he sent the ball just outside the goal.
Pepe in tears
Despite the many chances, no goals were scored, and the match went to extra time, which also ended goalless – and penalties were a fact.
After Theo Hernandez scored the last penalty kick – and thus sent "Les Bleus" on to the championship – the 41-year-old veteran Pepe cried and received comfort from Cristiano Ronaldo, who hugged his compatriot.
We must go through this moment of our loss, it's very painful, says Pepe after the match.
In the semifinal, which takes place on Tuesday, the French will meet Spain.
