Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to the plate and made the difference as his goal and an assist helped Portugal beat Wales 2-0 to enter the UEFA Euro 2016 finals, their first international football final since 2004.
The Real Madrid starlet struck a ferocious header early in the second half, before setting up Nani for the second just minutes later, ending the tie as a contest. Wales saw their fairytale run come to an abrupt end after a meek display, but bow out with their heads held high.
Here are some of the major talking points from the game.
1) Cometh the hour, cometh Ronaldo
Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo has had a mixed bag of Euro 2016 thus far, failing to have much of an impact and impressing only occasionally. However, the 31-year old stepped up against Wales, scoring and assisting a goal each to captain his side to the finals of the competition.
Ronaldo opened the scoring with a trademark header early in the 50th minute when he leapt the highest (more than 2 metres!) to meet Rafael Guerrero's pinpoint cross, before making another attempt at goal that was diverted into the net by Nani to make it 2-0 in Portugal’s favour.
The Portuguese No.7 had come under criticism for not showing up in the competition but shushed his naysayers with a man of the match performance against Wales. Now he has another shot at glory with his national team, having had to endure the heartbreak of a shock loss to Greece back in 2004.
Germany/France are the only ones standing in his way now.
2) No Ramsey, no party for Wales
Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey was ruled out of the crucial semis after picking up his second booking of the competition against Belgium in the quarter-finals, which meant Wales would have their task cut out against Portugal.
The Welsh midfielder had been one of the pivotal players to his side’s fairytale run, scoring once and assisting 4 times. His absence from their semi-final game certainly had a negative impact on Wales’ performance as the British outfit lacked the guile in the midfield and were also tame in the attack.
Gareth Bale was arguably their only real threat, firing at goal from long distance, but landing safely into the hands of Rui Patricio. Wales weren’t in their element, and that may be largely down to their Gooner maestro.
3) Wales can still be proud
It might have been really disappointing for Wales to bow out after edging so close to their first ever major finals, but having made it to the last 4 was an achievement in itself, and something they should be really really proud of.
The Dragons set the tone by finishing at the top of their group, ahead of England, and produced a top-drawer performance in the 3-1 defeat of Belgium in the quarter-finals. They had surpassed all the expectations by the time they booked a spot in the semi-finals and losing out now at this stage is by no means a failure.
Wales have scripted one of the most memorable stories in the history of the competition, and although their fairytale run has come to an end, fans across the world have doffed their hats to this spirited and indefatigable Welsh side.
They should be proud of themselves.
4) Portugal have only grown with time
If there’s anything one can deduce from Portugal’s Euro 2016 campaign, it is that they are a team in transition. The Seleccao may have started their campaign on a low note and taken time to hit the throttle, but they have grown into a dangerous side with each passing game and now stand a serious chance at lifting the trophy in Paris.
Fernando Santos’ side may lack the quality that teams such as Germany and France possess, but have the ambition and potential to make great strides. Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani aside, the likes of Renato Sanches, Ricardo Quaresma, Pepe, Joao Mario have all impressed in the tournament proper and dragged their side through when the forwards misfired.
This is a Portugal side that runs very deep and is no longer reliant on Ronaldo. Yes, the Real Madrid ace did make important contributions en route to the final, but they have played more like a team, like a cohesive unit.
5) Can Portugal create history?
That said, can Portugal actually go ahead and lift the Henry-Delaunay trophy in Paris to end their long wait for a maiden international title ? Many Portuguese teams in the past have come close, only to be denied in the final or the semi-final. But can this group break the hoodoo ?
Portugal may not be a championship material, but they are certainly champions in the making. From the debacle at the 2014 World Cup to reaching the finals at the Euros this year, the Iberian nation have come a really long way and there’s no turning back now.
The Seleccao stand on the brink of making history, doing something no other generation has ever done before. Although beating either of Germany or France will be a tough ask, but there’s a genuine belief within the team that they can upset the applecart.
Portugal will be the underdogs in the final, but that’s what they have thrived in. From the opening game till now, Portugal have grown seamlessly and now have it in them to match shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best as they show that they deserve to be where they are.
Paris beckons.
