Hammer of Thorgan: Hazard wondergoal sees Belgium beat Portugal at Euro 2020
Belgium have knocked the defending champions Portugal out of Euro 2020, with the Red Devils earning a 1-0 victory in Seville.
Thorgan Hazard produced a memorable shot from distance that flew past Rui Patricio into the corner of the net in the 42nd minute.
Despite having several chances in the second half, including a point-blank header from Rúben Dias saved by Thibaut Courtois, Portugal could not get the equaliser.
Cristiano Ronaldo cast a forlorn figure as he struggles to make an impact, and wasted a couple of free kick opportunities. He does leave the tournament as the current top scorer, though, with five goals.
A major dampener on a famous victory for Belgium was an ankle injury to key playmaker Kevin De Bruyne after a rough Joao Palhinha challenge, and a similar injury to Eden Hazard, who was also replaced.
Belgium will now face Italy in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
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By Daniel Colasimone
Belgium 1 – 0 Portugal
That’ll do it for me. A cagey match but enough drama to keep us all interested. It finally feels like the Euros are heating up, with both Portugal and The Netherlands getting the chop today.
Our coverage continues tomorrow with Croatia vs Spain and France vs Switzerland.
And our next live blog will be England vs Germany at 2am on Wednesday morning. See you then.
By Daniel Colasimone
By Daniel Colasimone
By Daniel Colasimone
Key Event
Full-time: Belgium beats Portugal 1-0, the champs are out!
Thrilling ending there, with Portugal throwing the kitchen sink at Belgium. It’s where you’d normally expect a late penalty to Ronaldo but this time it didn’t happen.
I’m going to say Belgium deserved the win, for edging the match over 90 minutes, but in that second half it was Portugal making much of the play.
Credit goes to the Belgian defence, though, which stood firm.
And that sets up a tasty quarter-final tie between Belgium and Italy on Saturday morning.
By Daniel Colasimone
90+4′ Another botched counter-attack for Belgium
Carrasco and Lukaku manage to mess it up again with just two defenders to beat.
Down the other end Joao Felix shoots just wide from the edge of the area.
By Daniel Colasimone
90+2′ Pepe joining the attack
It’s all men forward now. Bruno Fernandes wastes the move by blasting over from well out.
By Daniel Colasimone
90′ It’s manic stuff now
Portugal throwing everything forward, Belgium launching counter after counter. With better finishing there could have been a hatful of goals by now.
5 minutes of added time.
By Daniel Colasimone
88′ Andre Silva’s shot is smothered by Courtois!
A cross from the left is flicked on by Ronaldo, Silva can’t catch it cleanly to beat the keeper.
By Daniel Colasimone
85′ Corner Portugal
A Cristiano Ronaldo shot is saved but they win a corner.
Another Belgium counter attack but Lukaku keeps getting the ball stuck under his feet.
By Daniel Colasimone
84′ Portugal hit the post!
Guerreiro half-volleys from the edge of the box and it hits the base of the post!
Then Belgiums sets off on a counter and though it looks like they’ve slowed it down too much, Lukaku wins a free kick on the edge of the box. He takes it himself and it’s not very good.
By Daniel Colasimone
82′ Courtois save!
From a Portugal corner Ruben Dias absolutely launched himself at a header. It was straight at the keeper but it was travelling.
By Daniel Colasimone
81′ Alderweireld is booked
All this hurly burly is playing into Belgium’s hands, probably. Slowing down the play.
By Andrew Mcgarry
By Daniel Colasimone
By Daniel Colasimone
79′ This is getting feisty
Bruno Fernandes is crunched by Lukaku now. The ref has a job to keep this under control.
By Daniel Colasimone
77′ Pepe goes wild!
Play had been stopped after Lukaku copped an accidental boot to the head, and Pepe decided it was time to clean up Thorgan in back play.
By Daniel Colasimone
75′ Portugal finally find space
Some tippy tappy on the edge of the areas frees up Ronaldo on the left, but he shoots rather softly straight at the keeper.
By Daniel Colasimone
73′ Ronaldo with a free kick
He’s a long way out but when has that stopped him before.
He smashes it into the wall. Cool.
By Daniel Colasimone
69′ Fernandes fouls Eden Hazard
He was all over the back of him like a bad suit, as Shane Warne would say. Hazard gets treatment, the players have a drink. Jota has been dragged in the meantime for Andre Silva.
By Daniel Colasimone
67′ Portugal knocking on the door
A period of sustained pressure from Portugal, with Renato Sanches especially looking to make the decisive pass. The Belgian defence has stood strong though.