Ronaldone Redeems Missed Penalty as Portugal Defeats Slovenia in Nail-Biting Shootout, Advancing with a 3-0 Victory
Cristiano Ronaldo overcame a fumbled penalty in extra time to score in the decisive shoot-out, helping Portugal escape a close shave and triumph over Slovenia in the nail-biting penalty rounds post a scoreless deadlock in the Euro 2024’s round of 16.
Ronaldo’s miss earlier could have clinched a win for Portugal, but Slovenian keeper Jan Oblak’s save left him visibly distressed. Throughout the standard ninety minutes, Oblak was a fortress, nullifying Portugal’s attempts, including numerous strikes from Ronaldo.
Undeterred by his previous misstep, Ronaldo made no error during his second spot-kick, sending the ball home while goalie Diogo Costa repelled three Slovenian shots, sealing the victory for Portugal.
Next, the Selecao are set for a clash with France on Friday for a berth in the semis. Slovenia bows out with their heads held high after a gutsy display in Frankfurt.
Early in the game, Ronaldo along with Bruno Fernandes missed connecting with a Bernardo Silva cross. Ronaldo’s 31st-minute header and a later free kick both found Oblak instead of the net. Joao Palhinha was also close, hitting the post right before halftime.
Post-intermission, Ronaldo’s free-kick was thwarted by Oblak, and Benjamin Sesko squandered a fast break, his shot veering off after outrunning Pepe, the oldest to appear in a World Cup or European Championship knockout game at 41 years plus.
Oblak’s prowess was again tested by Ronaldo’s strike in the 89th minute but stood resilient, extending the match into extra time.
Tension peaked when Ronaldo was awarded a penalty towards the close of the first extra half. His shot was superbly saved by Oblak, ending in visible tears from the Portuguese star.
On the flip side, Costa’s brilliance continued, blocking a critical one-on-one with Sesko following a Pepe error, eventually pushing the match to penalties.
In the shoot-out, Costa was a wall. Ronaldo redeemed his earlier blunder with a suave initial kick. Fernandes and Silva also found the net, narrowly propelling the Selecao forward.
Ronaldo swings from despair to relief
Despite a frustrating group stage where he didn’t score, detecting Ronaldo’s agitation wasn’t hard. Still, in the knockout faceoff, he did not capitulate, marking a new high of 20 shots this tournament without success. He even surpassed others in the expected goal stats but yet again missed a major penalty, his third in nine tries.
However, Ronaldo wouldn’t be sidelined in critical shoot-out moments, setting up Portugal with a flawless opener to help them dodge a massive bullet.
Oblak’s fight ends in vain
Oblak’s showdown with Ronaldo became the core of an intense night. Despite his heroics during the game securing multiple saves, it was Costa who eventually clinched the limelight, becoming the first keeper to save three penalties in a Euro shoot-out.
