Portugal faced a formidable Slovenia last night (1/07/24). Slovenia had drawn their last six matches, including group stage games against Denmark, England, and Serbia.
Despite drawing all their group stage matches, Slovenia’s performance was outstanding, holding strong against top teams like England and Denmark.
Slovenia maintained their form against Portugal, holding them to a 0-0 draw, which led to extra time. The match could have gone Slovenia’s way when former Real Madrid and current Porto defender made a mistake, giving striker SESKO a one-on-one with Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
However, Costa made history by saving the one-on-one and then stopping three consecutive penalties during the shootout.
The match ended in a goalless draw after both full time and extra time. A penalty kick was awarded to Portugal when Diogo Jota was brought down in Slovenia’s box. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty but unfortunately missed, leading to an emotional reaction from him.
Ronaldo’s commitment and passion for the game are well-known, and he often expresses his sadness when he misses opportunities, which many football lovers admire.
Ronaldo praised Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa for keeping their hopes alive in Euro 2024. He commended Costa for maintaining the scoreline when he faced SESKO, the Slovenian striker, after a mistake by Pepe.
The match remained goalless until the penalty shootout, where Costa made a name for himself by saving three consecutive penalties, securing Portugal’s place in the quarterfinals. Portugal will now face France in the next round.