Portugal book spot in final four at Euro 2016

  • 01/07/2016
Portugal players celebrate during penalty shootout (Getty Images)
Portugal players celebrate during penalty shootout (Getty Images)

Portugal are through to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 without winning a game inside 90 minutes.

After three draws in pool play the Cristiano Ronaldo led side have beaten Poland 5-3 on penalties after both sides were locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes.

Both sides were backing up from marathon efforts in the round of 16 with Poland needing penalties to see of Switzerland and a Riccardo Queresma 117th minute goal sealed the fate of Croatia.

With the two sides finishing at 1-1 following extra time in Marseille, Portugal's goalkeeper Rui Patricio dived full length to block Jakub Blaszczykowski's penalty, Poland's fourth.

Substitute Quaresma, hammered home Portugal's fifth from the spot.

Portugal, beaten on penalties by Spain in the semi-finals four years ago, advanced to the last four at the Euros for the fourth time in five tournaments, and will face either Belgium or Wales for a spot in the final.

Striker Robert Lewandowski had put Poland ahead in the second minute only for 18-year-old Renato Sanches to equalise with a superb shot 33 minutes into his first international start for Portugal.

They went ahead almost from kickoff when Portugal defender Cedric's misjudgement allowed a long ball to bounce over his head to Kamil Grosicki. He drove on down the left and squared for Lewandowski to guide the ball in.

It was the striker's first goal of the tournament and, at one minute, 40 seconds, the second-fastest in European Championship history after Dmitri Kirichenko's for Russia against Greece after 65 seconds in 2004.

Portugal settled and began to make inroads, with Sanches playing a neat 1-2 with Nani smashing it past Lukasz Fabianski with the aid of a deflection.

Both sides came out for the second half seemingly under instruction to slow things down and the life bled from the game.

Portugal book a date with the winner of tomorrow mornings (NZT) clash between Wales and Belgium.

Newshub.