From tears to smiles. From a nightmare that didn’t seem real to exultation. With extreme difficulty, Portugal qualified for the quarterfinals, beating Slovenia on penalties (3-0) that for 120 minutes had erected an insurmountable wall, thanks to a super Jan Oblak who at 105′ saved the penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo, who burst into tears before making amends in the lottery. On the evening in Frankfurt, Portugal found a deluxe version of Leao in the first half, but had to deal with a Slovenia that gave its heart above everything and also came close to winning it with Sesko at 115′. The path will remain historic for Kek’s boys. In the quarterfinals, Martinez’s national team will challenge France.
EQUILIBRIUM
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Martinez chooses Leao from the 1st minute, who wins the ballot with Diogo Jota. The usual 4-3-3 with Palhinha acting as a balancer in front of the defense and the Bruno Fernandes-Vitinha tandem at his side. Bernardo in the three in front wide on the right. In Slovenia, two very narrow and compact lines of four: Sesko leads the attack with Sporar. The pitch at the Frankfurt Arena has a significant impact on the quality of the Portuguese, who dominate ball possession (70%) but are imprecise in finishing, due to an ineffective bounce of the ball when conducting and passing. Balance reigns in the first half, despite Portugal coming closer to the lead. Leao wakes up from the torpor of the first few outings and it is he who shines. In the 4th minute, the Milan winger is anticipated at the last minute from a good position, at the half-hour mark he wedges himself between the many white shirts and is brought down on the edge of the area. From the free kick, Ronaldo sends it high. CR7 is eager, he tries to score in every way but he doesn’t find it. The only dangerous shot comes from a header, Oblak blocks it. And Slovenia? They defend aggressively and start again. The only shot is from Sesko, saved in the middle by Diogo Costa. At the end of the half, Palhinha hits the post after yet another Leao run down the left.
SECOND HALF
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The plot doesn’t change. Cancelo goes into juggling mode, repeatedly breaking through on the right. In the 54th minute Ronaldo tries for the third time from a free kick: this time the rocket ends up on target but is carefully parried by Oblak. Portugal revs up the engine, not only relying on the many crosses, but risks becoming too unbalanced. In the 61st minute it’s Sesko again who, on the counterattack, aims at Pepe who can’t keep up with him at speed: the Leipzig striker’s shot is too strangled and ends up wide. Slovenia concedes very little centrally and contains the one-on-ones on the wings. Leao is more subdued and leaves his place to Conceiçao in the 75th minute, with Martinez exposing himself to a 4-2-4 with Jota and Ronaldo as strikers. It was precisely these two who in the 88th minute had the biggest chance of the second half: the Liverpool striker passed to CR7 who shot diagonally with his left foot but found another super save from Oblak. It went into extra time.
FINALE
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Portugal is feeling the fatigue, Slovenia is alive and takes advantage of every single mistake of the opponent. In the 95th minute Cancelo makes a mistake and favors Verbic: right-footed shot from the edge, Ruben Dias saves everything in the corner. In the 104th minute the episode that could change the story: Jota’s incursion into the area who is brought down by Drkusic, for Orsato it’s a penalty. Ronaldo steps up to the spot, Oblak guesses the corner and saves the shot, also thanks to the help of the post. Cristiano doesn’t believe it, shakes his head and cries: his teammates console him. Slovenia also has the chance of a lifetime in the 115th minute: Sesko takes advantage of a blunder by Pepe and launches himself all alone towards the goal, but his free kick is miraculously saved by Diogo Costa with his feet. The match ends goalless, qualification is decided on penalties. The Slovenians do very badly, missing the first three with Ilicic, Balkovec and Verbic. Three amazing saves by Diogo Costa. In Portugal Ronaldo makes amends: Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva also score, the latter being decisive in the qualification for the next round.
