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On July 2, 2024, the flame of the knockout round of the European Championship was ignited again. In the early hours of the morning, the matchup between Portugal and Slovenia became the focus of attention of fans around the world. It was a game that seemed to have a huge disparity in strength: Portugal, ranked fifth in the world and worth more than 1 billion euros, was hailed as the favorite to win the European Championship; Slovenia, ranked only 57th in the world and worth only 140 million euros, is generally regarded as a third-rate "weak team". However, the charm of football lies in its unpredictability, and this seemingly one-sided game has staged a wonderful drama of ups and downs.
Portugal had a strong run in the group stage, with six points early to secure top spot in the group. Although they lost to Georgia as a substitute in the final round, ending a 12-game winning streak in the main draw, it did not affect their overall morale. In contrast, Slovenia's performance was impressive. They qualified with three points in a row in the group stage, showing great defensive resilience and ability to stand up against strong teams. The two teams have met once in this year's friendlies, when Slovenia won 2-0 against Portugal, which also added a touch of suspense to the game.
From the start of the game, Portugal showed their desire to attack, and the luxurious attacking line of Leao, B and Cristiano Ronaldo frequently attacked the Slovenian goal. Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary star who has played in 20 consecutive European Championship games, has come close to scoring many times, but Slovenian goalkeeper Oblak has performed well and repeatedly defused the crisis. Although Slovenia were on the back foot, they did not blindly defend and used counterattacks to cause a lot of problems for Portugal. The first half ended in a 0-0 draw, with Portugal having 66 per cent possession but not shooting efficiently, while Slovenia showed their threat on a limited number of counter-attacks.
In the second half, Portugal continued to maintain absolute dominance of possession, but Slovenia's defense became more and more solid, making it difficult for Portugal's attack to convert into goals. Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick in the 54th minute was again denied by Oblak, while Slovenia's Seshko missed a great one-on-one chance in the 60th minute. As time went on, tensions between the two sides gradually heated, but neither Portugal's delicate combination nor Slovenia's quick counter-attack could break the deadlock on the pitch. At the end of regular time, the score was still 0-0 and the game went into extra time.
Extra-time didn't start well, with Joao Cancelo's mistake almost giving Slovenia the lead, but fortunately Portugal's goalkeeper Costa defused the crisis. Jota was then tripped in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. It was Ronaldo's chance to save the team, but his penalty was miraculously saved by Oblak. At that moment, Ronaldo cried bitterly, and his teammates stepped forward to comfort him. Slovenia also had a chance to overtake, but Sesque's one-on-one shot was also missed. At the end of extra time, the score was still 0-0 and the game had to go to a brutal penalty shootout.
Penalty shoot-outs are the most exciting moments in football, testing the mental quality and technical level of the players. In this battle of psychology and skill, Portugal showed their composure and precision. Cristiano Ronaldo, B Fei and B all hit three rounds of penalties, while Costa was like a guardian angel, saving Slovenia's first three rounds of penalties in a row. In the end, Portugal won the penalty shoot-out with an aggregate score of 3-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Championship for the eighth time in their history.
This match is undoubtedly a classic of this European Cup. After 90 minutes of hard-fought and 30 minutes of extra-time, Portugal finally found their way to victory in the penalty shoot-out. Although Ronaldo missed the penalty shootout, he and his teammates eventually achieved redemption and proved their quality. As for Slovenia, despite their failure to qualify, the tenacity and indomitable spirit they showed in this match have earned the respect and praise of fans all over the world. This match is not only a showcase of sports competition, but also a baptism of spirit, which shows us that no matter how strong the opponent is, as long as we persevere, it is possible to create miracles.