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A game full of personal drama and tears for Cristiano Ronaldo ended with Portugal advancing to the quarter-finals of the European Championship after beating Slovenia on penalties on Monday.
The match ended in a penalty shootout after Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved Ronaldo’s kick in the 114th minute of extra time. The match ended in a goalless draw between the two teams.
When the teams went to penalties, Ronaldo scored the first kick for him and Portugal, and his teammate Diogo Costa saved all three of Slovenia’s kicks, which were taken by Josip Ilicic, Jurej Palkovic and Benjamin Verbic.
“Sadness at the beginning is joy at the end. This is football. Moments, moments that cannot be explained,” Ronaldo said in an on-pitch interview after the final whistle.
“A direct shot to give the team the lead. I couldn’t. Oblak saved well… I have to see the penalty, I don’t know if I did it well or badly, but I haven’t missed a chance all year and when I needed it most, Oblak saved it.”
Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva also scored for Portugal to secure a 3-0 penalty shootout win with two kicks remaining.
“I think Portugal deserved to win because we were more dominant. Slovenia spent most of the game defending. It’s very difficult and we have to congratulate the whole team, especially our goalkeeper (Costa) who made three great saves,” Ronaldo added.
Portugal face France in the quarter-finals on Friday in Hamburg, a repeat of the 2016 final that Portugal won in Paris.
“He is an example for us,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said of Ronaldo at the post-match press conference. “The emotions he had after missing the penalty were incredible. He doesn’t need to care too much about the career he has had and everything he has achieved.”
“After missing the penalty, he was the first to take it. I was sure he should have been the first and shown us the way to victory. The way he reacted was exemplary and we are very proud of him.”
Costa had already saved his first penalty when Ronaldo stepped up to take Portugal’s first penalty in the shootout and placed the ball perfectly low beyond Oblak, who was swimming to his right.
Ronaldo looked apologetically at the Portuguese fans gathered behind the goal and put his hands together as if in prayer. The fans responded by shouting “Siuuuuu” – the Portuguese soccer star’s trademark shout when scoring goals.
Costa answered the rest of those prayers with a penalty kick as beautiful as any goalkeeper had ever scored. And then he cried, too.
Half an hour earlier, Ronaldo had been left in tears during the extra-time break after Oblak saved a penalty, turning to his left to push the ball towards the post.
This was the latest win for Oblak in their personal encounter during an exciting 90 minutes of regular time.
The intense drama in extra time came after a frustrating first 90 minutes for Ronaldo, who was – remarkably – still searching for his first goal at Euro 2024.
After three free kicks and two poor headers, the Portugal star looked confident of scoring from his first clear chance in open play.
The goal came in the 89th minute when Ronaldo raced towards goal after a perfect pass. His left-footed shot was low and powerful, but Oblak made a better save. Ronaldo threw his arms out in anger again.
The drama for the Portugal star almost overshadowed a turbulent evening for Slovenia’s rising star.
Benjamin Cisco had two golden chances to win the match, in the 62nd and 115th minutes, when he found himself one-on-one with Portugal goalkeeper Costa after racing past 41-year-old defender Pepe.
The first was a weak shot that went wide of the goal, and the second was strong and accurate but Costa blocked it with his outstretched foot.
Information from ESPN’s Rob Dawson, Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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