Hazard Stunner Enough for Belgium to Oust Portugal and Ronaldo from Euro 2020
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Tuesday, June 29, 2021 15 Hazard stunner enough for Belgium to oust Portugal and Ronaldo from Euro 2020 SEVILLE: A rocket from Thorgan Hazard knocked Guerreiro went closest to a late equalizer when his years ago but has perhaps been outgrown by a side reigning champions Portugal out of Euro 2020 on shot came back off the post, one of 29 shots Portugal that now boasts some of the most creative technicians Sunday and earned Belgium a blockbuster quarter- had, six of them on target. in the world. “I think it’s an unfair result but they final with Italy. Hazard’s swerving shot before half- But before the late rally, Belgium were the braver, scored and we didn’t,” said Portugal coach Fernando time sealed a 1-0 win for Belgium and settled a more fluid team and Martinez hailed his side’s fighting Santos. scrappy contest in Seville that never really lived up to spirit to hold on. “We showed our talent in the first its billing as the stand-out tie of the last 16. half and in the second half we showed an aspect that De Bruyne injury worry Eden Hazard started in Belgium’s front three again after playing 90 minutes against Finland on Monday. Portugal’s Diogo Dalot came in at right-back for the injured Nelson Semedo. Eden Hazard skied an early shot over after a neat exchange with Romelu Lukaku while Diogo Jota skewed wide, slipped in down the left by the impressive Renato Sanches. Ronaldo cut an isolated figure up front, his every touch booed early on by the Belgian fans, who then cheered when he was robbed of the ball before being BUDAPEST: Czech Republic’s midfielder Tomas Holes cele- bumped to the ground by Thomas Meunier. The clos- brates after scoring a goal during the Euro 2020 round of 16 est Ronaldo came to an all-time record 110th interna- match between the Netherlands and the Czech Republic at tional goal was a dipping free-kick from 30 yards Puskas Arena in Budapest on Sunday. — AFP which Courtois parried away while at the other end, Lukaku was a more dynamic force. One scintillating break saw Lukaku tear through Portugal’s midfield and with his shirt being pulled behind him, he was just Czech Republic’s Holes lacking the final pass to Hazard. An untidy game found its moment of clarity in the goes from annoying 42nd minute. It started with Courtois coolly evading Ronaldo’s press before more excellent work from neighbors to last 16 hero Lukaku allowed De Bruyne to switch left to Thorgan SEVILLE: Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) reacts as Belgium’s players celebrate their victory at the end of the Hazard. He cut in and ripped a swerving shot that PRAGUE: When the Czech Republic’s Tomas Holes Euro 2020 round of 16 football match between Belgium and Portugal at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville on Sunday. — AFP rocketed towards the center of the goal before scored a late goal to clinch a late draw for Slavia swerving right and past Rui Patricio, who was too Prague at Arsenal in the Europa League in April, his slow to adjust. sibling got in trouble with the neighbors. “We apolo- But it could prove a statement victory for Belgium, wasn’t there two or three years ago,” said Martinez. Belgium played with more verve after half-time gize for the noise around 11pm,” read a note posted by whose chief concern now will be the fitness of Kevin “This is what a winning team needs.” and looked set to take charge. But De Bruyne’s injury Jiri Holes on the ground-floor notice board of his block De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, who both hobbled off For all the superstar names on the pitch, it was checked their rhythm and Portugal came again, Jota of flats the next morning. injured and were set to undergo scans yesterday. De Eden Hazard’s less heralded brother Thorgan who firing over and Joao Felix, on as a substitute, heading “Just to explain, my brother scored in the 90th Bruyne suffered an ankle injury while coach Roberto proved decisive, the Borussia Dortmund winger who into the hands of Courtois. Tempers flared as a minute against Arsenal in the Europa League quarter- Martinez said Hazard’s problem was “more of a mus- Eden once said had even more talent than him. “In crescendo of collisions incensed the crowd and left final,” he wrote. When midfielder Holes claimed the cle feeling”. these games if you have a chance you have to have a Pepe lucky only to be booked after he led into his opener in Sunday’s Euro 2020 last-16 game against the Cristiano Ronaldo tested Thibaut Courtois with a go,” Thorgan said. “It went in, with a bit of luck and it challenge with his arm. Portugal finally had to push Netherlands, the Czech television commentator was dipping free-kick in the first half but the 36-year-old was the goal that got us through. It’s a dream for me.” and in a wild last 10 minutes, Guerreiro went closest quick to quip: “I wonder what his family are up to.” neither broke the international goals record nor Portugal, meanwhile, stuck to the defensive to an equalizer, his shot hammering against the post. The 28-year-old Holes scored with a header at the added to his five for the tournament. Raphael approach that served them so well in France five Belgium did just enough. — AFP near post on 68 minutes, following a corner. He then spread his arms with a broad smile, knowing he had taken his country past the 10-man orange-clad favorites towards a Euro quarter-final. News in brief Andriy Shevchenko, ex-Ukraine star “The cross was long to the far post. I was ready at the near post, Tomas Kalas did a wonderful job head- plotting Euro success as coach ing it back and I had an easy job,” the softly-spoken Ronaldo ‘proud’ of Portugal’s efforts Holes said. The Czechs beat the Netherlands 2-0 in KIEV: Andriy Shevchenko’s Ukraine might be disap- Budapest, and they will take on Denmark in Baku in the LISBON: Captain Cristiano Ronaldo said yester- pointed by the fact that they only reached the knock- quarter-final on July 3. day he was “proud” of holders Portugal’s efforts out phase of the European Championship for the first despite bowing out of Euro 2020 after the week- time thanks to a considerable stroke of good fortune. ‘Loose train carriage’ end’s 1-0 last 16 loss to Belgium. “We did not get But ahead of tonight’s Euro 2020 last-16 game against Holes was involved in the second goal too — he the result we wanted and we leave the competition Sweden, the 44-year-old coach may draw inspiration dashed for a loose ball between the stunned Denzel sooner than expected,” the 36-year-old Juventus from a past encounter against the same opponent, the Dumfries and Georginio Wijnaldum, took it to the box star and five-time Ballon d’or winner admitted as swansong of his illustrious career as a player. Ukraine and found striker Patrik Schick with a cutback. “He was his side failed to match their 2016 exploits. “But we lost 3-2 to the Netherlands to start Group C, then like a loose train carriage,” former Czech Republic for- ward Gunter Bittengel told national television. are proud of our showing. We did everything we clinched a key 2-1 victory over North Macedonia, but Holes grew up as a footballer in the central city of could to retain the title of European champions and were beaten to second place by Austria after a 1-0 Hradec Kralove, from which he moved to Jablonec this group proved it could still give the Portuguese defeat in their final game. After an anxious two-day Andriy Shevchenko before joining Slavia ahead of the 2019/2020 season. people much joy,” the former Manchester United wait to see if they qualified as one of the four best Slavia bought him as a right-back for a team where the and Real Madrid attacker posted on social media third-placed teams, Ukraine were indebted to Spain, the national team extra time for training ahead of Euro post was taken by Vladimir Coufal, who is now at West after Sunday’s loss. “ — AFP whose crushing win over Slovakia in Group E sent Shevchenko’s team through to the next round. 2020, an unusual move for a European league. Ham player. Slavia coach Jindrich Trpisovsky decided Five years after taking over following Ukraine’s The national FA was also under fire back in 2016 to condition Holes to become a defensive midfielder, failure to score a single goal at Euro 2016, when Shevchenko, the former Dynamo Kiev and AC similarily to a former Germany captain. “I told him — Shevchenko has rejuvenated the team, toughening it Milan star, took over from Mykhaylo Fomenko as don’t worry, Philipp Lahm moved to the position from a St Petersburg match to go ahead up on the big stage. But he described the fatigue of Ukraine coach, his first managerial role. Critics point- right-back at 28 and then he was the captain of the his players as the main reason for the defeat to ed to Shevchenko’s lack of experience and argued world champions. So why not you?” Trpisovsky said. SAINT PETERSBURG: The Euro 2020 quarter- Austria. “The game was physically hard today.