Patricio dived full length to block Jakub Blaszczykowski’s penalty, Poland’s fourth, allowing substitute Quaresma, whose goal late in extra-time beat Croatia in the round of 16, to bang in Portugal’s fifth in the shootout. “We are in the semis and go on from here”.
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Robert Lewandowski had fired Poland ahead in the second minute with teenager Renato Sanches equalising via a deflected strike.
“I think every team practises penalties at this stage”, said Sanches.
A night that started spectacularly for the Poland captain with a goal after just one minute and 40 seconds – the second fastest in any European Championship – ended in frustration and heartbreak as his team lost on penalties to Portugal in their quarterfinal at the Stade Velodrome.
When the sides could not be separated, though, to spotkicks it went.
The match in Marseille finished 1-1 after an additional half hour of extra time.
“They are teams who reach the quarter-finals playing well”, the three-time Champions League victor added. Portugal pushed forward more than the Polish side but missed chances by Ronaldo caused the game to end at 1-1 after 90 minutes. While those teams play tonight, Ronaldo spoke after the game and admitted that anything is possible now progress is confirmed.
Robert Lewandowski had given Poland an early lead with the second-fastest goal in the history of the competition but 18-year-old Renato Sanches levelled with his first senior worldwide strike. Two minutes later the Real Madrid man was shoved to the ground in what looked to be a legitimate penalty kick but the referee would have none of that.
“The team works as one”.
Ronaldo struck first for Portugal before Lewandowski stroked Poland level, with Sanches tucking his away with aplomb.
Having previously scored an extra-time victor in the round of 16 against Croatia, Quaresma’s penalty kick sent Portugal into the semifinals for the fourth time in the past five European Championships. “They are having an excellent tournament”.
“Maybe nobody gave much for our chances but we are now in the semi-finals”, he said. “We let them take over the game for a bit and we weren’t able to control Milik, so I spoke to Renato Sanches to change things and asked Nani to drop a bit deeper”.
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Despite becoming the third-youngest scorer ever in the European Championship, Sanches played down his goal, calling it simply “a move that just turned out that way and I scored”. “I continue to say I’m only going home on 11 July”, said Santos, who has insisted since the start that Portugal will reach the final on July 10.
