Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties to help Portugal reach the last 16 of Euro 2020 with a 2-2 draw against France in Budapest on Wednesday. With this, he also equals the record for the best international goal. Ronaldo gave his team the lead after a half-hour goal with his first spot kick, before France came back with two goals from Karim Benzema from both sides.
However, Ronaldo assisted in the win and then scored a second penalty with half an hour left. The 36-year-old’s fifth goal in the group stage extended his Euro record to 14 and drew with former Iran striker Ali Daei in his 178th international football goal.
The first real chance of the game came an hour and a quarter later for French forward Kylian Mbappe, but the 22-year-old’s wait for a Euro goal was extended by a parade save from Rui Patricio.
But it was Portugal that made the breakthrough, as they were handed a 31st-minute penalty after French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris tried to punch the ball, but instead caught Danilo Pereira in the face, which Portugal lost. The midfielder needed treatment on the pitch. Ronaldo encouraged his fourth goal of the tournament, sending Lloris down the wrong track.
Portugal will take on world seed Belgium in the first round of the semi-finals in Seville on Sunday. Fernando Santos’ men became one of the four best third-placed players from Group F after France and Germany for the second straight Euro, qualifying only after a 2–2 draw with Hungary in Munich. World champions France will next face Switzerland on Monday.
Watch football highlights of Portugal and France draw in Euro 2020 match.
Portugal 2 – 2 France
Goals: 1 – 0 Ronaldo 31, 1 – 1 Benzema 45+2, 1 – 2 Benzema 47, 2 – 2 Ronaldo 60
Bookings: Lloris, Hernandez, Griezmann
Portugal: Patricio, Guerreiro, Pepe, Dias, Semedo, Sanches, Danilo, Moutinho, Jota, Ronaldo, Silva
Substitutions: Palhinha, Neves, Sergio Oliveira, Dalot, Fernandes
France: Lloris, Kounde, Varane, Kimpembe, Hernandez, Pogba, Kante, Tolisso, Griezmann, Mbappe, Benzema
Substitutions: Sissoko, Digne, Coman
Read Euro 2020: 65000 fans can attend finals at Wembley football stadium
