Euro 2020: Belgium eliminates defending champions Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal
A new European champion will be crowned at the end of this summer's tournament.
On Sunday, Euro 2020 rolled on with Cristiano Ronaldo and the defending champions, Portugal, taking on one of the favorites entering the tournament, Kevin de Bruyne's Belgium.
Ronaldo sat on the precipice of history entering the match, tied with Iran legend Ali Daei for the most men's international goals scored.
But that history will have to wait, as Ronaldo was kept off the board in a 1-0 win for Belgium.
To say CR7 was unhappy with his team's exit in the Round of 16 would be putting it lightly:
Despite a 1-0 finish, there was plenty of intrigue throughout the tilt. Here are the biggest moments from the match:
The first 15 minutes had Belgium on the front foot, with Portugal seemingly content to play deep and try to take the Red Devils on the counter.
Despite dominating possession, the Belgians did very little to trouble Portugal in the early going.
One of the better chances for Portugal in the first half came off the boot of — you guessed it — Ronaldo.
He blasted a free kick in the 25th minute that Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did well to get down and parry away.
Belgium's persistence paid off before the halftime break, as Thorgan Hazard belted a right-footed goal from outside the penalty area.
Hazard's kick dipped and swerved, leaving Rui Patricio grasping at air.
Belgium's attack took a real blow when de Bruyne was forced off due to injury a few minutes into the second half.
Dries Mertens came on in place of the Manchester City star in the 48th minute.
Following that, the match became a bit sloppy and disjointed for both sides.
Bruno Fernandes and João Félix came on as double substitutes in the 55th minute as Portugal went for broke by bringing on a bevy of attackers to try to even the 1-0 scoreline.
The temperatures in Sevilla rose in the second half. After a relatively clean first half, a total of four yellow cards were brandished in the second half, including this caution for Portugal's Pepe after a crunching tackle.
Courtois saved Belgium's bacon again in the 82nd minute after Rúben Dias' header off a corner kick went straight at the Belgian keeper.
The pressure in the final minutes of regulation kept building, as Portugal followed Dias' effort with a shot that went off the woodwork.
With the opportunities Portugal was manufacturing late, the game looked destined to go into extra time. However, Courtois made another fine save late in regulation to keep the clean sheet.
Just like that, the defending champions were sent home in the Round of 16.
Next up for Belgium in the quarterfinals will be Italy, which knocked off Austria on Saturday.
De Bruyne's status and that of Eden Hazard, who appeared to pick up a late hamstring injury, will be big storylines for the Belgian team heading into that clash.
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