Portugal 2-2 France
France and Portugal played out a 2-2 draw on the most dramatic of European nights which saw both teams and Germany emerge from Group F.
It doesn’t get any bigger than Euro 2020: Portugal vs France, the European Champions against the World Champions, and there was entertainment from start to finish as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema scored twice each, three of the four goals penalties.
The result leaves France at the top of the group with Portugal finishing third.
Highlights of the game
Paul Pogba seems to have a telepathic relationship with Kylian Mbappe and whenever the Manchester United man picks up the ball the striker is on the move. And the combination almost did the trick when Mbappe latched onto an inch-perfect through ball before hitting it first time, but at a good height for Rui Patricio to save.
Ronaldo had a sniff of a chance when Raphael Varane headed weakly into his path but he hit his first-time volley well wide. And then, on 27th minute, the game turned Portugal’s way. When the Selecao chipped a ball into the France box Hugo Lloris came out to challenge, seemed to punch the ball but he wiped out Danilo and the referee pointed to the spot. After a lengthy delay while the French players protested, Ronaldo, cool as you like, slammed the penalty home into the left corner.
At the start of the game it was possible for Portugal to finish anywhere between first and fourth in Group F and once Ronaldo had planted the penalty home they were the top dogs. France looked a little leggy after their exertions against Hungary and they struggled to justify their position as SBOTOP favourites to win the tournament for the remainder of the half. But, right on the cusp of halftime, the ref handed Les Bleus a chance to level.
Pogba chipped forward towards Mbappe and Nelson Semedo collided with the PSG man and once again the referee pointed to the spot. Again it looked like a soft penalty but VAR has been light touch at this tournament so far and declined to over-rule. Much as Ronaldo had done, Benzema kept his cool to slot home.
There’ll be more than a few referees in world football who will have watched the Portugal vs France news highlights and given neither of those penalties.
Two minutes into the second half Pogba was at it again, firing another brilliant ball through, and this time it was Benzema making the run and sliding the ball into the net off the inside of the left-hand post. At this moment, Ronaldo had been outdone – but he almost levelled with a towering header that went just wide.
And at this point in the game, with Hungary winning against Germany, Portugal were now fourth!
But the drama just kept on coming and the ref pointed to the spot for the third time as a pullback from Ronaldo hit Jules Kounde on the hand. The Juve man sent Lloris the wrong way again and Portugal climbed the Group F table to second as mayhem in Munich saw Hungary leading 2-1!
France were stung and started to fight back and Rui Patricio made a brilliant double save to deny Pogba, tipping his shot onto the post, and then Antoine Griezmann’s follow up. But Les Bleus couldn’t find a winner.
Key statistics
The Portugal vs France betting odds predicted a tight game with Les Bleus having the edge and that’s pretty much how it played out as the game swung back and forth.
Portugal have won only one of the last 14 games against Les Bleus, but it was a big one, the 2016 European Championship final.
Ronaldo is now the record European goal scorer at major tournaments with 21 goals, ahead of three legendary German hitmen, Miroslav Klose, Gerd Muller and Jurgen Klinsmann. He’s now on five goals for the tournament and at the head of the race for the Golden Boot.
This was the first game in European Championship history to feature three successful penalties (excluding shootouts) and Benzema had missed his last three penalties before tonight’s successful spot kick.
What’s next?
So that’s the group games all done and dusted folks, and the entertainment on offer has been better than we could have hoped for. Passionate crowds have made the competition all the more special and the players have responded. Having qualified from Group B Denmark won hearts worldwide. They recovered from the heartache of losing their talisman Christian Eriksen, who is thankfully on the road to recovery, while Italy and Belgium have been particularly impressive.
In Group F, the hardest fought of all, the big three have all qualified. France will face Switzerland in the Round of 16, second-placed Germany have a date against England at Wembley to look forward to while Portugal, who finally finished in third place, will meet Belgium.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
