CRISTIANO Ronaldo made up for a missed extra-time penalty with a conversion in the shootout as Portugal escaped Slovenia, 3-0, in the round-of-16 of the Euro 2024 on Monday night (Tuesday morning in Manila) at the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.
The Al-Nassr FC star missed on an opportunity to give Portugal the lead after he misfired an extra-time spot kick penalty in the 114th minute, leaving him in tears.
Ronaldo, however, made up for that miss as knocked down the first penalty shootout goal before his teammates Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva also converted theirs to secure their quarterfinals seat.
Portugal’s goal keeper Diogo Costa also stepped up in the shootout as he saved all the three kicks of Slovenia from Josip Ilicic, Jure Balkovec and Benjamin Verbič.
“I was sad and now I’m overjoyed. This is what football gives you,” said Ronaldo on his emotional moment after missing a penalty kick in the extra-time. “You cannot explain it.”
“I was sorry for the fans. I’ll always give my best for this shirt, whether I miss it or not. And I’ll do this my whole life. You have to take responsibility,” he added.
Portugal will face France in the quarterfinals on Friday (Saturday morning in Manila) in Hamburg, in a rematch of the 2016 final that Portugal won in Paris.
France secured their spot in the round-of-eight following a 1-0 escape over Belgium in thekr separate knockout match at the Düsseldorf Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany.
An own-goal violation by Belgium’s Jan Vertonghen when he tried to deflect the 85th-minute attempt by France’s Randal Kolo Muani gave the latter’s team the lead for good.
“I was lucky enough to get my shot on target,” Muani said after the game. “It was blocked but it went in. We’re very, very happy and very, very proud.”/PN
