Belgium dump holders Portugal, Ronaldo out of Euro 2020
Belgium’s Thorgan Hazard thundered in a first-half winner as they beat title holders Portugal 1-0 in their Euro 2020 last-16 game on Sunday to move into the last eight.
Hazard found enough space after a swift passing move to rifle home from 20 metres and score against the run of play in the 42nd minute, setting up a quarter-final clash with Italy, who are unbeaten in their last 31 matches.
Yet Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne, only recently back from a facial injury, could be a doubt, hobbling off three minutes into the second half after suffering an ankle injury shortly before the break.
Diogo Jota had two good chances for the 2016 European champions — one in each half — and Raphael Guerreiro hit the post in the 83rd minute but they could not find an equaliser despite an improved display in the second half.
Belgium will face Italy, who beat Austria 2-1 on Saturday, in Munich on July 2.
MATCH FACTS
– This was Belgium’s first win against Portugal since September 1989 (3-0 in a World Cup qualifier), ending a run of five meetings without a victory against them (D2 L3).
– Portugal were eliminated from EURO 2020 with just one victory from their four games (D1 L2); their fewest in a single tournament at the European Championships since their first appearance in 1984, when they also won one of four (D2 L1).
– Belgium have equalled their longest winning streak at major tournaments, winning five in a row for the second time (both under Roberto Martínez). Indeed, the Red Devils have won 10 of their 11 games across the World Cup and European Championships since Martínez took charge.
– Since EURO 2004, Portugal have only come back to win in one of their 10 games in the competition when they have conceded the opening goal (D3 L6) – 2-1 v Netherlands at EURO 2012.
– Belgium have scored six goals from outside the box in the last two European Championships (2016 & 2020); at least twice as many as any other team in this period. Thorgan Hazard was the fifth different Belgian player to score from outside the box in the competition since 2016, along with Radja Nainggolan (2), Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard.
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– Thorgan Hazard has netted in consecutive games for Belgium for the first time, while he has now scored four international goals since his brother Eden last scored for the national team.
– Only Cristiano Ronaldo (25) has now made more appearances in the European Championships than João Moutinho and Pepe (both 19), meaning the top three appearance makers in the competition’s history all started for Portugal in this game.
– Belgium’s starting XI against Portugal had an average age of 30 years and 148 days; their oldest in a game at the European Championships, and the oldest named by any of the remaining teams at EURO 2020 so far.