EURO 2024 | Portugal 0-0 Slovenia: CR7 in tears, Diogo Costa the shoot-out hero

Slovenia put in a valiant performance to force Portugal to extra time, including a Jan Oblak penalty save that reduced Cristiano Ronaldo to tears, but Diogo Costa was the hero with three shoot-out saves.

The Portuguese will now face France in the EURO 2024 quarter-final on Friday.

After missing the last group game due to suspension, earning two yellow cards for simulation, Rafael Leao returned to the starting XI with Cristiano Ronaldo against impressive Udinese defender Jaka Bijol.

Ronaldo just failed to get his head to a Bernardo Silva cross, while Rafael Leao turned on the turbo to run at goal until he was felled by Vanja Drkusic, for a free kick that CR7 blasted inches over the bar.

Benjamin Sekso smashed one into the arms of the goalkeeper, while on the stroke of half-time Joao Palhinha clipped the outside of the post on a Leao assist.

A Cristiano Ronaldo free kick split the wall and was parried by Jan Oblak, then Sesko beat Pepe in a sprint race only to scuff the finish wide.

Rafael Leao looked irritated and frustrated as he was substituted by Francisco Conceicao on 76 minutes, but he again did not deliver.

Ronaldo was sent through by Diogo Jota at the 89^th minute only to fire the angled drive straight at Oblak.

It was goalless and had to go to extra time, but Italian referee Daniele Orsato awarded a penalty when Diogo Jota sprinted into the box and went down crashing into Drkusic. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up and saw the spot-kick saved by Oblak onto the post.

The former Juventus star was distraught and burst into tears during the half-time break of extra time, but had to continue playing moments later.

Oblak also pushed a Palhinha header over the bar and former Atalanta star Josip Ilicic came on, making his return to international football after struggling with his mental health.

Sesko missed another huge chance when sent clear by a stumble from 41-year-old Pepe, but was denied one-on-one by Diogo Costa’s boot.

It went to a penalty shoot-out, the first of EURO 2024 and Ilicic’s opener was saved, but this time Cristiano Ronaldo did convert.

Diogo Costa turned into the hero for Portugal, saving also from Jure Balkovec and Benjamin Verbic, as Portugal go through to face France in the quarter-final.

Saved penalty: Ronaldo 105 (P)

Penalties: Ilicic (S, saved), Ronaldo (P, goal), Balkovec (S, saved), Bruno Fernandes (P, goal), Verbic (S, saved), Bernardo Silva (P, goal)

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