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The second quarter-final of Euro 2024 is another blockbuster tie pitting 2018 World Cup winners France against 2016 European champions Portugal.
Didier Deschamps’ men managed to reach the last eight without conceding a single goal in open play. Two own goals and a Kylian Mbappe penalty were enough to get them through Test matches against Austria, the Netherlands, Poland and Belgium. Although their narrow win over Belgium in the last-16 lacked quality and excitement, the French players were heartened by several missed chances and attributed to Mbappe rediscovering his form from a broken nose.
In comparison, Portugal had to come through a penalty shootout to beat Slovenia in the round of 16. Roberto Martinez’s side struggled to make an opening in their first knockout match with Cristiano Ronaldo.
With Mbappe taking on Ronaldo this match will be a battle of the generations, but both sides know improvements are needed if they hope to get the job done tonight.
Follow all the action from Portugal v France on our live blog below:
Half time! Portugal 0-0 France
Despite having shots on target from distance, neither side had a single shot from inside the box.
Not a spectacular game by any means, as the form of both sides in the last few games might have suggested.
But no game so far at Euro 2024 has featured so many players on the pitch.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:57
Half time! Portugal 0-0 France
Half time! Michael Oliver blew the whistle for extra time.
A tense, intriguing half in Hamburg, but one more for the neutrals.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:46
Euro 2024: Portugal 0-0 France
Leo was lucky not to give away a free-kick when Gounte stepped in and Portugal cleared it to Cancelo. Vidinha bundles it into the box but Mignon collects it well.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:45
Euro 2024: Portugal 0-0 France
Ronaldo allows Fernandez to take the free-kick, which travels over the bar. It would really suit Ronaldo very well.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:43
Euro 2024: Portugal 0-0 France
Silva gets back and clips a cross into the box again, but it’s just over-hit and runs over Leo’s head.
France attack, they patiently keep the ball close to the edge of the Portugal box, but Pepe clears once more.
Whitinha collects a header clearance and heads into the box but it is cleared just before Mwani takes Whitinha down 25 yards out.
Perfect territory for Ronaldo (in 2008).
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:41
Euro 2024: Portugal 0-0 France
Portugal seem to have learned from that incident and they now try to get into the box rather than long balls, but again Saliba is there to clear Vidinha.
Cancelo soon hits a cross but Leo can’t get on the end of it!
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:38
Euro 2024: Portugal 0-0 France
One thing that isolated Ronaldo against Saliba was that, at 39, he never won that battle, and after Fernandez took a ball forward to him, Saliba kept grazing it.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:36
Euro 2024: Portugal 0-0 France
Cancelo headed Conte’s ball. France come back and Camavinga hooks the ball to Griezmann but he can’t get it under control and Fernandez comes to clear it for a corner.
Griezmann clips the ball but Upamecano can’t get a clear connection and the chance ends after Mendes intercepts.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:35
Euro 2024: Portugal 0-0 France
Great play from both sides, Kamavinga made a pass to feed which Mbappe sent to Kolo Mwani. Griezmann makes a great run down his right, but Muani takes it himself and he gets a shot in before Pepe brilliantly stops him and clears him.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 20:32
