Poland loses to Portugal on penalties, bows out of Euro 2016
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
01.07.2016 00:19
Poland will head home after losing to Portugal on penalties in the quarter-finals of the Euro 2016 football championships in France.
Players of Poland applaud supporters after the penalty shootout of the UEFA EURO 2016 quarter final match between Poland and Portugal at Stade Velodrome in Marseille, France, 30 June 2016. Portugal won 5-3 on penalties. Photo: EPA/PETER POWELL
The game was still 1:1 by the end of extra time following a goal by Poland's Robert Lewandowski in the second minute of the game.
Still in the first half of the match, Portugal's Renato Sanches snatched an opportunity to find a gap in the Polish defence to score from just outside the penalty area in the 33rd minute.
No other player managed to put the ball in the net by the end of extra time.
The match went to penalties. Poland's Jakub Błaszczykowski – the fourth of the team to take a spot kick – aimed to the right of Portuguese goalie Rui Patricio, who leaped for the ball, keeping it out of the net.
Next in line was Portugal's Ricardo Quaresma, who scored his penalty, paving the way for his team to move to the semi-finals.
“We came close to the semi-finals. This [loss] hurts and it will hurt for a long time,” a teary Lewandowski, Poland's team captain, said following the game.
TV viewing figures for the match set a new record in Poland. (rg/pk)