Hazard rocket fires Belgium past Portugal
Belgium knocked defending champions Portugal out of Euro 2020 with a 1-0 victory within the last 16 on Sunday to create a mouth-watering quarter-final tie against Italy.
A 43rd-minute strike from Thorgan Hazard secured the win for Roberto Martinez's team, who survived a good amount of pressure from the Portuguese in the next half.
But with the finishing touch missing, it had been the end of the street for Cristiano Ronaldo and a Portugal team who had triumphed in Paris five years back.
Ronaldo bows out with five goals from four games, and is currently the tournament's top scorer. Yet it remains to be observed if the 36-year-old will return for a sixth Euros in Germany in 2024 or if the competition's all-time top scorer will bow out of national team duty following the Qatar World Cup next year.
Belgium were among the pre-tournament favourites but this is a stodgy and uninspired display and they'll have to raise their game drastically if they're to see through Roberto Mancini's Azzurri who are unbeaten in 31 matches.
Thorgan Hazard's fine goal was their only effort on target in the complete 90 minutes and there is little invention or flair from their midfield.
"In the first half we were playing high and putting pressure on Portugal, but looking at that second half, we are lucky to win," said Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen.
The duty against Italy could possibly be even more difficult if Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, who both came off with knocks in the second half, cannot get over their latest injury woes.
Portugal commenced brightly and Diogo Jota wasted an excellent chance in the sixth minute, dragging his shot wide after Renato Sanches had broken from midfield and found him in a promising position on the left.
Ronaldo then tested Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois with a low-struck free kick as Fernando Santos's team continued to use pressure.
But Belgium grew into the game with De Bruyne increasingly influential plus they grabbed the lead 3 minutes before the interval.
'GRAB YOUR CHANCES'
A good passing move ended with Thomas Meunier feeding Thorgan Hazard, whose wickedly swerving shot flew at night wrong-footed Portugal keeper Rui Patricio.
Patricio stepped to the proper in anticipation of a near post shot but was struggling to reunite across and was beaten by an attempt that flew in centrally.
"In these kinds of games you should grab your chances with both of your hands and voila, the goalkeeper expected me to select the other corner, therefore the ball went in," said the scorer.
Belgium suffered a blow when De Bruyne limped off with an injury three minutes after the break and Santos sought to breathe life into his side's attack by introducing Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix from the bench.
Ronaldo, cutting in from the right, did well to find Jota in the box but again the forward's effort was off target as Belgium struggled to contain their opponents.
Belgium's attempts to counter were increasingly rare and Portugal resulted in the heat in the ultimate 10 minutes as they searched desperately for an equaliser.
Courtois punched away a thundering Ruben Dias header from a corner and Raphael Guerreiro struck the post with a sweet first-time shot from the edge of the box.
Deep in added time, Portugal created one final opportunity but Felix's drive flashed just wide of Courtois's right-hand post.
"I didn't have a whole lot of work to do in the previous three games, but I knew that wasn't going to be the case against Portugal," said Courtois.
"I am pleased with my team mates; they defended very well. Italy will be difficult too, but we've proved today that people are ready for this," he said.
Eden Hazard, who has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, went off with what appeared as if a hamstring strain three minutes from the end.
Belgium will face Italy, who beat Austria 2-1 on Saturday, in Munich on July 2.
