Portugal deserve credit for their pluck, but that is about it. They lost their captain and best player Cristiano Ronaldo to a knee injury midway through the first half. Caused by a challenge from Dimitri Payet, it was bad luck but nothing more. It was a firm challenge by the West Ham player but not a foul.
After that Portugal simply hung on and hoped they may get a break. They didn't. They hoped that they may get to extra-time. They did and then somehow they won it.
A goal from Eder 11 minutes from the end of extra time saw Portugal stun host France to win Euro 2016 and claim the country’s first ever senior international title. It was a most unlikely triumph for a team that only made it through the group phase in third place, won just one game inside 90 minutes throughout the tournament and which lost its talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, to injury, midway through the opening half.
Ronaldo exited the pitch, having twice tried to play on, in tears of agony and dejection. Twelve years after he was left devastated when as a 19-year-old he was part of the Portugal team upset in the final of Euro 2004 on home soil by Greece, the three-time Ballon d’OR winner was staring at the prospect of perhaps his last chance to win silverware with his country disappear.
This time, though, it was Portugal that played the role of Greece. Portugal may have more quality than the Greece side that stunningly won the trophy, but, under the guidance of coach Fernando Santos, it played in an almost identical fashion. The fact that it squeezed its way through the knockout rounds, going to extra time three times and penalties once, while playing a desperately cautious brand of football will not please many neutrals. Certainly it helped produce a desperately dull final to cap a tournament that has been short on thrills throughout.
But Portugal played to its system expertly. France, on the other hand, despite having by some distance the greater talent, didn’t seem to know what it was it was supposed to be doing to break down Portugal’s fierce resistance.
After beginning the match at a lightning tempo and going close when Antoine Griezmann’s header was tipped over by the first of many fine saves from Rui Patricio, France, and the final itself, fell into a slumber.
Ironically, the injury to Ronaldo appeared to slow France’s early momentum. And, while Griezmann missed a golden chance with his head in the second half and substitute Andre-Pierre Gignac hit the post in injury time at the end of regulation, France offered precious little going forward.
Griezmann faded after his miss, while the system of coach Didier Deschamps failed to get the best out of Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi and Dimitri Payet. Only Moussa Sissoko and, when he came on early in the second half, Kingsley Coman, offered any attacking thrust.
As a result, Portugal grew increasingly comfortable in the match. And late on in regulation time, Portugal coach Santos made a key change that was just one of the many demonstrations of his greater tactical nous to his counterpart on the day. Breaking away from Portugal’s ultra negativity, he opted to bring a natural striker into the fray in Eder.
FROM PLAYER TO COACH: INJURED RONALDO’S CRAZY EURO FINAL
And the 28-year-old, who was shipped off on loan by mid-table Premier League side Swansea City last season and who had never scored a competitive goal for Portugal, ended up being the hero.
His hold-up play had already paid dividends for Portugal before he picked up the ball with his back to goal 35 yards out. After turning and shaking off the attention of Laurent Koscielny, Eder surged unchallenged toward the box before unleashing a low shot from 25 yards out that beat Hugo Lloris to his near post.
Everyone on the Portugal bench, including Ronaldo, who had been roaring encouragement to his team in the latter stages, leapt to their feet. There was no coming back for France. Portugal, the nearly men of of European football, with three losing semifinals and one final since 2000, had finally become a champion.
Massive Swarm Of Moths Invade EURO 2016 Final
Prior to kick-off between France and Portugal, preparations took an unexpected turn on Sunday evening after a swarm of moths invaded the pitch at the Stade de France in Paris.
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