http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Czech-Republic-c2882 in the last-eight clash on Thursday, June 21. The National Stadium in Warsaw witnessed another sensational performance from Cristiano
Ronaldo, who headed home the only goal of the game in the 79th minute.
Portugal made no changes to the team that won against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Netherlands-c753 in the last Group B game whereas Czech Republic were without Tomas Rosicky, who started the game on the bench after injuring his Achilles tendon in the group game
against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Poland-c2983.
The Seleccao started off the game positively, making some surging runs into the opposition’s half but, the Czech manager kept his promise of being on the defensive. The home side entered the field with a negative frame of mind
and parked the bus in front of the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Portugal-c2984 attack.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ronaldo-c31734 has the first real chance of the game in the 30th minute when his sensational overhead kick just missed the target. The Real Madrid man was unfortunate again in the dying moments of the first-half as his brilliant
shot was denied by the post. The teams went into the interval with a 0-0 scoreline with the away side having most of the possession.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Hugo-Almeida-c16386, who replaced Helder Postiga in the 37th minute after the latter suffered a hamstring injury, should have scored within two minutes of the restart but his header missed the target from eight yards out. Ronaldo
was again in the picture four minutes later but, the former Manchester United man’s effort from 30 yards hit the outside of the post.
It was becoming increasingly frustrating for Paulo Bento’s men as the Czechs continued to be on the defensive. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Petr-Cech-c29837 came to the rescue in the 59th minute when he made a super save of Nani’s shot from long range.
The http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 man made another sensational stop of Joao Moutinho five minutes later and tipped the latter’s shot over the bar as his side continued to live dangerously.
The dead-lock was finally broken in the 79th minute when http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cristiano-Ronaldo-c9629 netted a terrific header of Moutinho’s cross from the right. The Seleccao took the deserved lead which lasted until the end as they made their
way to the last four of the European championship.
It was a thoroughly disappointing display from Michal Bilek’s team as they paid the price for being too defensive. The 1976 European champions did not have a single shot on target as Portugal dominated the proceedings throughout
the course of the game.
Paulo Bento’s side will take on the winners of the Spain-France clash in the semi-final on June 27 at the Donbass Arena.
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