Portugal Ronaldo and Germany Kroos, last Euro challenge ends in quarterfinals
Spanish players celebrate Mikel Merino’s extra-time goal
Spain and France beat their ‘tough rivals’ Germany and Portugal, respectively, and advanced to the semifinals of Euro 2024 (European Football Championship).
Spain won 2-1 in extra time after a 1-1 draw with host country Germany in the quarterfinals held at the Stuttgart Arena in Germany on the 6th (Korean time).
Spain, winners of the 1964, 2008 and 2012 Euros, have reached the last four of two consecutive tournaments, having last played at Euro 2020 (to be held in 2021) where they lost to Italy on penalties in the semi-finals.
Spain will face France, who defeated Portugal on penalties, in Munich on the 10th for a spot in the final.
Germany, which has won the European Championship three times (1972, 1980, 1996) and is tied with Spain for the most wins, entered the quarterfinals for the first time in eight years since 2016 (semifinals), but failed to advance to the semifinals.
After neither team scored in the first half, Spain opened the scoring with a goal from Dani Olmo in the 6th minute of the second half.
Ramin Yamal’s low pass from the right side of the penalty area found Olmo, who raced into the middle and struck with his right foot into the net. 슬롯사이트
Germany’s defeat gradually looked certain as they failed to counterattack, with Robert Andrich’s powerful long-range shot from the penalty arc in the 25th minute being blocked by goalkeeper Unai Simon, and Niklas Fühlkrug’s counterattack finish hitting the goal post in the 32nd minute.
However, in the 44th minute of the second half, Germany barely managed to force the match into extra time when Florian Wirtz equalized after Joshua Kimmich headed in Maximilian Mittelstadt’s cross.
The balance, which had been tight throughout most of extra time, was broken only in the 14th minute of the second half.
Mikel Merino headed in Olmo’s cross from the left flank to score the golden winning goal.
Veteran midfielder Toni Kroos, who left the German national team after Euro 2020 and returned ahead of this tournament hosted by his country, played the full game that day but failed to smile.
Kroos had already retired from his team Real Madrid (Spain) after the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final last month, and this Euro was his last stage as a player.
In the other quarter-final in Hamburg, 2022 Qatar World Cup runners-up France beat Portugal 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in extra time to advance to the semi-finals for the first time in eight years since 2016, when they finished runners-up.
France are looking to win their third Euro after winning in 1984 and 2000.
Portugal, the 2016 champions, finished their last Euros with ‘captain’ Cristiano Ronaldo in the quarter-finals.
Ronaldo, who has played in six Euros and holds the record for the most goals scored in 30 games, 14 goals and 8 assists, failed to score in this tournament, which he declared to be his “last Euro.”
Ronaldo took Portugal’s first penalty kick in the shootout that day and succeeded, but the third kicker, Joao Felix, missed and Portugal lost.
France had five different kickers take their chances, starting with Ousmane Dembele. 카지노사이트