Lucky Portugal, Poor France

SAINT DENNIS - The host did not always have to win .. And Portugal luck waiting came true!

And Eder proved to be the hero for Portugal luck, as his 109th minute goal was the difference between the two teams to earn Portugal their first ever European Championship. Ronaldo's night ended prematurely, as the Real Madrid man suffered a devastatingly untimely knee injury after a collision with Dimitri Payet.

Yet Portugal, who have been strong and steadfast throughout the entire tournament, summoned a monumental defensive effort and struck in the waning moments to send their fans into raptures and help erase the bitter disappointment of their Euro 2004 final defeat to Greece on home soil.

The biggest change for Fernando Santos' Portugal in their 4-1-3-2 formation was the return of centre-back Pepe, as the Real Madrid man returned from suspension and replaced Bruno Alves. Meanwhile, France boss Didier Deschamps rolled out the 4-2-3-1 that had served Les Bleus so well during the tournament.

France had the faster start of the team teams, with their high line causing problems for the Portuguese defence. It was a nervy start from Portugal, as they committed a number of early errors, including a Pepe slip that saw Antoine Griezmann nearly scored with a header in the first 10 minutes, only for Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio to make the reaction save.

But disaster had struck for Portugal, but not in the form of a French goal but rather an injury to their talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, who absorbed a hard tackle from Dimitri Payet on the knee. The Real Madrid superstar was in obvious discomfort following the knock and minutes later he slumped to the ground to be attended to by team doctors, as the pain in his knee looked to be too much.

Ronaldo departed the pitch, but still refused to be substituted off, and minutes later gamely jogged back onto the field with his left knee bandaged. Finally though, it proved to be too much, and with the tears overflowing, Ronaldo had to be stretchered off and was replaced by Ricardo Quaresma, with Santos shifting his team to a 4-1-4-1. Meanwhile, Ronaldo's Euro 2016 final was over after 24 minutes.

Portugal looked to circle the wagons after Ronaldo's arrival, but France continued to mount pressure, and Rui Patricio was forced into another save from a Moussa Sissoko shot after the half-hour mark. But with time Portugal started to gain a foothold in the match, with more possession and more chances and likely went into the half-time dressing room feeling confident.

The first French change came shy of the hour mark, with Kingsley Coman on for the ineffective Payet, and minutes after his entrance Coman nearly served up the first goal as his ball in found Griezmann, but the Atlético Madrid man headed over the bar. Santos then made his second switch, as João Moutinho replaced Adrien Silva.

Portugal were content to cede possession to France, allowing Les Bleus a couple looks at goal, but like so often throughout Euro 2016, Portugal refused to break, even though Olivier Giroud came achingly close with a shot from the left that bounced just wide.

Deschamp went to his bench again 12 minutes from time, as Tigres forward Andre-Pierre Gignac replaced Giroud, which was followed by Portugal's final substitution, Éder on for Renato Sanches.



Quaresma tried to produce a spectacular winner, with a scissor volley, but France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, largely inactive during the match, was alert and made the save. Sissoko then fancied becoming the hero with a long-range effort with just minutes remaining, but once again Rui Patricio was up to the task.

France could not believe their luck in the match's final seconds when Gignac ably shed Pepe and fired near post, but saw his shot bang off the woodwork, ensuring another 30 minutes of football for both teams.

They had put them under considerable pressure from the start with Payet and Moussa Sissoko given the licence to roam, Antoine Griezmann picking up space and Paul Pogba frequently galloping forward with that long, leggy stride. Yet it was difficult for les Bleus to navigate a way behind the opposition defence and Portugal were troubled only sporadically in that period, most notably when Rui Patrício’s sprawling save turned a flying header from Griezmann over the crossbar.

France needed more wit and creativity around the penalty area and Payet looked absolutely intent on showing them the way. Not everything he tried came off, but Payet played with the drive and energy that made it seem strange Didier Deschamps thought it necessary to take him off after 57 minutes.

His replacement, Kingsley Coman, has penetrative qualities of his own but the substitution prompted loud, derisive whistles from the crowd.

France had lost their early momentum, looking increasingly short of ideas and not helped a great deal by Olivier Giroud’s lack of movement in attack. A more ambitious team than Portugal might have sensed this was a good time to show more adventure. Instead, they continued to play with near-unremitting caution and were fortunate that Griezmann misdirected his header after Coman’s cross created one of the game’s few clear opportunities.

Maybe, sans Ronaldo, they did not truly believe in themselves but the Portuguese conservatism was suffocating for the match as a spectacle and they had players – notably Renato Sanches and João Mário .– who would surely have benefited from letting off the handbrake.

Ronaldo emerged from the dressing room right before the start of extra time to offer support to his teammates, and Quaresma had Ronaldo off the bench in near exultation with a header that just sailed wide. France continued to have most of the possession, but again Portugal nearly rose up to snatch a goal through an Éder header off a corner kick, but Lloris made the save.

Raphael Guerreiro was next, rifling a free kick off the crossbar, but it would not match the drama that Éder would summon shortly thereafter when he collected a ball with his back to goal, muscled off to French defenders and sent a low, stinging shot that beat Lloris to give Portugal a stunning 1-0 lead.

France pushed desperately for an equaliser, but on this day it was not to come, as Portugal withstood until the very end to become kings of Europe.