Hosts Portugal have beaten England 6-5 on penalties to become the first team
to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2004 after a pulsating game ended 2-2 after
extra time.
England's David
Beckham misses his penalty against Portugal's Ricardo in their Euro 2004
quarter-final soccer match at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon, June 24, 2004.
[Reuters]
|
David Beckham (L)
and Portugal's goalkeeper Ricardo (R) react following Beckham's extra-time
penalty miss in their Euro 2004 quarter-final soccer match at the Luz
Stadium in Lisbon, June 24, 2004. Portugal won 6-5 on penalties.
[Reuters] |
Captain David Beckham sliced
England's first penalty over the bar on Thursday before Rui Costa missed for
Portugal.
Portugal's Ricardo
celebrates win over England in their Euro 2004 quarter-final soccer match
at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon, June 24, 2004.
[Reuters] |
England's
goalkeeper David James reacts after failing to stop a penalty during the
extra-time penalty shoot-out against Portugal in their Euro 2004
quarter-final soccer match at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon, June 24, 2004.
[Reuters] |
Portugal keeper Ricardo saved
Darius Vassell's kick, England's seventh, and Ricardo himself stepped up to put
his team into the semi-finals and spark mass celebrations across the nation.
A Portugal fan
celebrates at the Marques Pombal square in central Lisbon with her
country's flag following victory over England June 24, 2004. Hundreds of
thousands of Portuguese flooded the streets on Thursday in wild
celebrations of the hosts' quarter-final defeat of England after a penalty
shoot-out at Euro 2004. [Reuters] |
Portugal
now meet Sweden or the Netherlands on June 30 at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in
Lisbon.
"I said to them 'One Portuguese is worth, with his enthusiasm, the 40,000
English that are here'. And to all the Portuguese, congratulations," said
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was in charge of Brazil when they beat
England in the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002.
A Portugal team
supporter celebrates in central Lisbon after Portugal defeated England in
their Euro 2004 quarter-final soccer match at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon,
June 24, 2004. [Reuters] |
"All wins are
delicious, but this one especially, after everything that happened, it was
spectacular," Scolari said.
"Culminating with that penalty that Ricardo both saved and made. That's the
kind of thing that makes us thank God."
"It's very hard," said England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. "We were not lucky
with some things out there today."
"The spirit out there was fantastic. But losing like that is very hard."
Rui Costa, on as a 79th-minute substitute, thought he had clinched victory
for Portugal when he put his team 2-1 up in the 110th minute, cutting in to
arrow a right-foot shot past England goalkeeper David James from 25 metres.
But England found the energy to drag themselves back when Frank Lampard
slotted in from close range five minutes later.
Portugal, semi-finalists at Euro 2000, had trailed for 80 minutes to Michael
Owen's third-minute opener for England.
But they were handed a lifeline after 83 minutes when Helder Postiga, on for
Luis Figo, headed in Simao's cross to take the game into extra time.
"It's a big disappointment, to be fair to them they put their penalties away
really well," Owen said.
Knocked out
England were knocked out of the 1996 European Championship on penalties in
the semi-finals and lost to Germany again on penalties in the 1990 World Cup
semi-finals.
They were also knocked out of the 1998 World Cup by Argentina on penalties in
the second round.
England, wearing black armbands in memory of a fan who was killed chasing a
pickpocket in Lisbon on Tuesday, could not have hoped for a better start as Owen
scored his first goal of the tournament.
James hit a long upfield clearance and the ball flicked off midfielder
Costinha's head straight into the path of Owen, who spun round to hook it past a
helpless Ricardo.
England did not have to wait long for Portugal's response as the intricate
passing of Deco, Figo and Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo forced them
into a series of last-ditch clearances.
England's attacking aspirations took a knock after 27 minutes when Wayne
Rooney, the tournaments joint top scorer with four goals, appeared to twist his
ankle under pressure from defender Jorge Andrade.
The 18-year-old received lengthy treatment on the touchline before hobbling
away to be replaced by Darius Vassell.
Portugal continued to set the rhythm with Luis Figo pulling the strings in
midfield, but he was often guilty of wayward shooting as England weathered the
storm.
It was not all one-way traffic, however, and a resurgent Owen drew a superb
one-handed save from Ricardo as England threatened on the break.
Owen, who had been disappointing so far in the tournament, also lobbed
another effort narrowly over the bar.
Portugal kept up the pressure after the re-start as England's labouring
midfield struggled to cover the green spaces inside the Luz stadium.
Ronaldo was gradually running out of tricks in his battle with Ashley Cole
and the hosts were looking increasingly desperate when Postiga struck.
The striker had only been on the pitch for eight minutes when he powered home
his header.
There was still time for more drama in the dying seconds of normal time when
England defender Sol Campbell's headed goal was ruled out by referee Urs Meier
to rule it our for pushing.
"From the bench it looked alright but the referee said there was a push,"
said Eriksson.
