As of: 06/27/2021 11:23 p.m.
Portugal with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has already failed in the second round of EURO 2020. Against an enormously cleared Belgium, the defending champion found in Seville despite good opportunities and lost with 0: 1 (0: 1).
Thorgan Hazard was the name of the Belgian hero in the round of 16 in Seville. The 28-year-old professional from Borussia Dortmund surprised Portugal after 42 minutes with a brilliant long-range shot that ultimately made it 1-0. However, he received support from Portugal’s keeper Rui Patricio, who let the durable ball pass to the horror of a team-mate.
Belgium in the quarterfinals against Italy
The defending champion is out early, but the “goildene generation” of Belgium – who are getting on in years – can continue to dream of winning a big title. In the quarter-finals, coach Roberto Martinez’s team will face Italy on Friday (July 2nd, 21st) at 9 p.m.
Belgium, current world number one, against defending champion Portugal – football romantics had hoped for an offensive spectacle of two top favorites for the EURO title right from the start. That of course did not materialize. Because both teams know each other, because they knew very well: If you would run into the other in Seville, which is still 30 degrees Celsius in the evening, you would definitely be left out in the end.
Top stars deliver football with a handbrake
So the top stars of both teams around Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku took it easy and, above all, controlled. Which was at the expense of the game’s attractiveness. The experienced Belgians, who started the game with a whopping average age of 30, had more possession in the first half hour, but did not manage to approach a goal. Probably their most wooden player, Thomas Meunier, broke the spell after 37 minutes when he narrowly missed the Portuguese goal with a flick of about 23 meters.
On the other hand, Portugal switched to counter-football from the start. The opponent should attack calmly, should be lured, and then be played out like a raid if the ball is won. Alone: The Belgians did not do Portugal this favor, did not produce any corresponding ball losses. So Ronaldo was ineffective – Portugal’s number one goal-getter could only force Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to parry with a free kick from 22 meters from the half-right position.
Rui Patricio fails, Thorgan Hazard scores to make it 1-0
All the more astonishing that the game still delivered a real highlight before the break whistle. That actually came out of nowhere and resulted in Belgium’s 1-0 lead. After a Portuguese loss of the ball in midfield, Meunier spiked the ball on his Dortmund Bundesliga team-mate Thorgan Hazard in the 42nd minute. He pulled from half left with one step in the middle and thrashed the playground device from 22 meters towards the goal. And was able to cheer a fraction of a second later, because Portugal keeper Rui Patricio could not get his fists on the ball and had to let the durable shot pass to the Belgian lead.
Both teams somehow didn’t deserve the break – but still used it for tactical changes. The Portuguese advanced and attacked the Belgians early on in their build-up of the game. And the Reds had to cope with an enormous weakening shortly after the break: Playmaker de Bruyne left the field feeling dizzy and was replaced by Dries Mertens. Portugal coach Fernando Santos reacted a little later and brought the highly talented offensive players Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix.
De Bruyne out battered, Belgium can be constricted
And the Portuguese game immediately got more traction and became full of pressure. Ronaldo prepared for Diogo Jota in the 57th minute, but the Liverpool striker shot an idea too high from 14 meters. Three minutes later, Felix failed with a header from eight meters to Courtois. The Belgians withdrew far too far too early and came under constant pressure.
In this phase they could be grateful that Eden Hazard, whom many had already written off, took the reins in hand, allowed himself to be played over and over and at least occasionally provided relief with his dribbling. But Portugal still had the chances: The best was certainly Raphael Guerreiro, who hit the right post with a right-footed shot from 15 meters in the 84th minute. And when Courtois bravely saved from substitute André Silva from Frankfurt a little later, Belgium was through. And the defending champion was eliminated.
Source: sportschau.de