Two matches, two game-winning goals.

Not too bad for a player who once earned the Golden Trashcan in Serie A. After helping push Portugal through late against Croatia, Ricardo Quaresma was called upon again late to break a stalemate. Once again Quaresma came through in the clutch, delivering the final goal to give Portugal the 5-3 victory in penalties over Poland at the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles.

Poland opened up the match in just the second minute when forward Robert Lewandowski broke through the Portuguese defense to gain the early advantage. Although the goal was the second fastest goal in European Championship history it was just Lewandowski’s first of this tournament.

The Portuguese would equalize in the 34th minute with a goal from midfielder Renato Sanches. The newly signed Bayern Munich teenager ripped a shot from just beyond the eighteen yard box to level the match at one. With his goal Sanches bested his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo by becoming the youngest player a 18 years old to score in the knockout round of the European Championship.

Despite the Poles gaining the lead early, Portugal dictated the pace for large portions of the match. Sanches and forward Nani found pockets of space in a very conservative Polish defense. Nani’s pass into Ronaldo in the 30th minute would cause controversy as Polish left-back Michael Pazdan appeared to push the former Ballon d’Or winner. However, the head official allowed for play to continue.

Nani and Ronaldo would link up again in the 55th minute with the Real Madrid talisman finding space down the left flank. Although Nani’s pass was perfect Ronaldo’s foot hit the turf causing his shot to go wide of the mark.

Poland’s best opportunity to take the lead in the second half would come in the 67th minute when forward Arkadiusz Milik’s pass entered into the Portguese penalty box. Lewadowski was in the area but he was just a bit in front of the ball missing his chance.

Ronaldo continued to pester the Polish defense even into the waning minutes of regulation. He nimbly passed through the two center-backs in the 86th minute and connected on a chip for Joao Moutinho. Had he been able to comfortably control the ball on his first touch Portugal may have eliminated the need for extra time. But in a rare instance, Ronaldo had a mental lapse and was unable to push Portugal through.

A tepid thirty minutes of extra time led to penalties where both sides traded goals for three rounds. But a diving save from Patricio would rob Jakub Blaszczykowski the chance to equalize in the fourth round. Quaresma would finish off the Poles with a high shot past goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to give Portugal the victory. 

Portugal will go on to face either Wales or Belgium in the semifinals next Wednesday at the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles. Despite having not won a single match in regulation during this tournament the Portuguese have placed themselves in the semifinals for the fourth time in six consecutive appearances at the European Championships.

Portugal- Rui Patricio , Jose Fonte,  Pepe,  William Carvalho (Danilo 96′),  Eliseu, Cedric Soares,  Renato Sanches,  Adrien Silva (Joao Moutinho 73′), Joao Mario (Ricardo Quaresma 80′), Ronaldo, and Nani

Goal- Sanches (33′)

Yellow Cards- Silva (69′) and Carvalho (90+2′)

Penalties-Ronaldo (Goal), Sanches (Goal), Moutinho (Goal), Nani (Goal), and Quaresma (Goal)

 

Poland-Lukasz Fabianski,  Michal Pazdan,  Kamil Glik, Artur Jedrzejczyk, Lukasz Piszczek,  Krzysztof Maczynski (Tomasz Jodlowiec 98′),  Grzegorz Krychowiak,  Kamil Grosicki (Bartosz Kapustka 83′),  Jakub Blaszczykowski, Robert Lewandowski, and Arkadiusz Milik

Goal- Lewandowski (2′)

Yellow Cards-Jedrzejczyk (41′), Glik (65′) and Kapustka (89′)

Penalties-Lewandowski (Goal), Milik (Goal), Glik (Goal), and Blaszczykowski (Miss)