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France beats Portugal on penalties and reaches the semi-finals

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Status: 06.07.2024 00:18

Spain’s semi-final opponent at the European Championships is France. In a defensive battle with few scoring opportunities, the French beat Portugal 5:3 on penalties on Friday evening (July 5, 2024). The decisive missed shot was made by substitute Joao Félix – he only hit the post. After regular time and extra time, the score was still 0:0.

For the French, Didier Deschamps modified his system for the first time in this tournament and opted for a double striker with Kylian Mbappé and Randal Kolo Muani. But in the first 20 minutes, the Équipe Tricolore could have played without a striker at all – the 1998 and 2018 world champions were so passive. Portugal had more than 60 percent possession without putting in too much effort and won significantly more tackles. But there were no scoring opportunities at all for Roberto Martínez’s team either.

To the live ticker: Portugal vs France Arrow right Quarterfinals Arrow right

For fans of well-kept defensive football, the action in Hamburg was certainly a feast for the eyes. For the Portuguese, Bayern Munich’s dream player Joao Palinha cleared a lot of the ball away in front of the back four. What got through was then in the best hands of Pepe, who played an outstanding game at the age of 41, and his teammate Ruben Dias.

France neutralizes Cristano Ronaldo

On the other hand, the picture was similar. Deschamps had already mothballed his four-man attack after the first group match against Austria and installed Aurélien Tchouaméni as a third sweeper in front of the chain alongside Adrien Rabiot and N’Golo Kanté – this strategy against spectacle and for bulwark led to Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, only eleven ball contacts in the entire first half.

The ageing superstar surprisingly missed out on a twelfth goal in the 42nd minute, when he gave a free kick to a colleague just 25 metres from the French goal. But Bruno Fernandes missed the target, just like “CR7” did in his ticket festival in the round of 16 against Slovenia.

At least one goal – in the 50th minute

The second half also began with tactics and a desire to avoid mistakes. In the 50th minute, however, the spectators got a little excited when Mbappé aimed for the Portuguese goal, but his shot was too central, so Diogo Costa had no problems. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Things got painful for the French superstar five minutes later: Bernardo Silva headed the ball from close range against the mask that was supposed to protect his broken nose – but after a short treatment he continued.

Double chance for Portugal – Maignan saves

And after all: Shortly after the mask goal, the goal was targeted again. The Portuguese even had a double chance: first, Bruno Fernandes failed to beat Mike Maignan after a perfect through ball from Joao Cancelo (61st minute), two minutes later the Milan goalie was on hand to stop Vitinha and then a heel trick attempt against Ronaldo.

Then the French also loosened their sights for a moment. First, Kolo Muani, who had already initiated the victory against Belgium in the round of 16, narrowly missed the lead (66th minute). Then Camavinga had a completely free shot from four meters, but pushed the ball just past the left post (71st minute). Three minutes later, substitute Ousmane Dembélé came even closer, his shot even touching the crossbar by a fraction.

Extra time – Ronaldo misses the lead

The game then went back to sleep peacefully. It was only at the start of extra time that the next wake-up call came: Substitute Francisco Conceicao dribbled his way to the baseline, passed the ball back to the six-yard box, where Ronaldo rushed in – and smashed the ball into the Hamburg evening sky. Rafael Leao also had another chance in the 103rd minute, but shot at Dayot Upamecano.

Deschamps then substituted Mbappé for the second half of extra time, but Ronaldo stayed on the field until the end. The last chance before the penalty shootout fell to Nuno Mendes, but his low shot after a counterattack once again landed at Maignan’s feet.

France still without a goal

In the end, the penalty kicks decided the match. France remained ice-cold and unwavering, with all five shooters scoring. For the Portuguese, Cristiano Ronaldo scored, but Joao Félix’s shot on the post was the decisive knockout blow.

It’s hard to believe: France is in the semi-finals of this European Championship without having scored a single goal from open play in five matches. Own goals from Max Wöber and Jan Vertonghen helped them against Austria and Belgium. They drew 0-0 against the Netherlands, and the goal in the 1-1 draw against Poland came from a penalty by Mbappé.

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Champions League schedule and results, 2024-2025 season

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What is the 2024-2025 Champions League schedule? The new tournament format, which now includes 36 teams compared to 32 previously, promises more confrontations from the start of the competition. Find the complete schedule of matches and their results updated in real time in our table below.

During the league phase scheduled between September and December 2024, each club plays eight matches against different opponents, selected based on their UEFA ranking.

Then, the top eight teams in the rankings will advance directly to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will have to go through play-offs in January 2025. These knockout matches will begin in February, with the grand final scheduled for June 2025. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

For French clubs, including PSG, AS Monaco, Lille and Stade Brestois, the challenge will be to stay in the race for direct qualifications and avoid early eliminations.

The final of the competition will take place in Munich on May 31, 2025. We will then know the successor to Real Madrid where Kylian Mbappé now plays.

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Halftime show: Fifa is planning an event like in football at the next World Cup final

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In American football, the halftime show has long been part of the event. Appearances during the break have not been an issue in football so far – but that will change at the next World Cup.

Anyone who goes to the toilet or refills chips during half-time at the next World Cup final will miss something: As the world football association Fifa announces, from the next World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico there will be a half-time show in the final. What exactly the association is planning is still very vaguely worded in the announcement. FIFA is probably planning a musical performance modeled on the Superbowl in American football: This so-called half time show is probably the biggest stage that musicians have had so far. In recent years, megastars such as Coldplay, Rihanna and Bruno Mars have appeared at halftime.

FIFA wants to organize a halftime show together with an aid organization

Global Citizen acts as co-organizer. The aid organization is committed to combating extreme poverty around the world. “FIFA has made it its mission to promote football in all countries of the world and thereby have a positive influence on society,” explains the controversial FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Through this partnership, FIFA, together with Global Citizen, will unite the world of sports and entertainment to actively contribute to a better world. “We are committed to a series of joint actions that promote access to the game and encourage fans to advocate for positive change in their local communities,” Infantino continued. However, the association leaves it open exactly how a halftime show during the World Cup final should support Global Citizen or combat poverty in the world. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

“Eventization” of football is met with rejection in Germany

If FIFA presents an act as big as the NFL at the Superbowl, the football halftime show would actually immediately be in the same league as its US counterparts. In the USA, the show is one of the absolute highlights of the football final. It remains to be seen whether such a show will be received so positively by football fans who are more used to a simpler presentation of their sport.

In Europe and especially in Germany, the organized fan scene is extremely critical of the additional commercialization and “eventization” of sport. A resonant example is Helene Fischer’s act before the 2017 DFB Cup final. The artist was booed so mercilessly and loudly during her short appearance that her singing on the television was difficult to understand at times.

Source: FIFA press release

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Ugo Humbert-Arthur Fils, duel for a title in Tokyo between a calm player and another who doesn’t give up

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Difficult to find two courses as dissimilar as those of Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils at the ATP 500 in Tokyo, but the rectilinear trajectory of the first will still cross the fractured line of the second, in the final, this Tuesday. Despite losing his first set of the week, Humbert (19th in the world) qualified without too much difficulty by beating Tomas Machac (54th) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. After having fought like a madman to eliminate Taylor Fritz and especially Ben Shelton, Son went through two tie-breaks with forceps to subdue Holger Rune. One wanders, the other suffers, but we will be treated to a happy ending. Even with a seven-hour time difference with France, this is a pleasure that we won’t shy away from.

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