Friday , March 29 2024

Euro 2016 – Final: Portugal upset hosts France to lift title in extratime!

UEFA EURO 2016The 2016 UEFA European Championships is being played across France from June 10 to July 10 for the first time with 24 nations across 10 venues in nine cities with the French capital Paris being the only city with two venues in the Stade de France and the Park de Prince.

The defending double champions are Spain, who are three time record champions along with Germany.

FINAL

PORTUGAL 0-0,1-0 FRANCE [after extratime]
Goal(s): 1-0 Eder (109′)

Portugal ended our misery of a match not worthy of a final which was tense throughout but lacked real quality, had its moments of excellence like the brilliant Eder strike in the 109th minute to give the Iberian nation their first ever UEFA Euro trophy against hosts France, who were unable to press their opponents as they would have intended to do.

And Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio being named Man of the Match says a lot about the match.

Portugal did have the first attempt of the game through Nani, but that remained their only attempt for a long while before France tried to score though Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann. But then came the shock moment for Portugal as Dimitri Payet banged into Cristiano Ronaldo and the Real Madrid star went down in pain in the 8th minute, he tried to play but in tears had to be stretchered off in the 25th minute. France had a good chance in the 10th minute through a Griezmann header which was cleared by Rui Patricio.

France had more of the game but except a Moussa Sissoko shot which Rui Patricio cleared, there was little to show for all the French possession in the first half.

Portugal came out of the break with a new structure as they stood even deeper in their own half but except a Griezmann header which went over, France again had little to show for all their efforts. Towards the end the game did open up with Portugal having their best chances in the 80th minute, first a misdirected Nani had to cleared off the line by keeper Hugo Lloris and an acrobatic attempt by Quaresma saved by Lloris. At the other end in the 84th minute, a Sissoko long range effort was parried away by Rui Patricio before in the second minute of added time, substitute Gignac for once beat Rui Patricio, but his shot came back into the field of the post.

This meant extra time and both teams were now tired with Portugal having the better chances in the second half. First left back hammered a disputed free kick against the crossbar as Koscielny was penalised for an Eder handball and then substitute Eder scored the winner in the 109th minute with a placed fierce shot to the joy of Portugal. Thereafter France had not even one real attempt on goal and at the final whistle of referee Clattenburg, Portugal could celebrate their first senior men’s international football title.

Carlsberg Man of the Match: Pepe (Portugal) #PORFRA

About Arunava Chaudhuri

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