Portugal 2-0 Wales: Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani net twice in three minutes to crush Welsh hopes as Euro 2016 journey ends in Lyon
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale both had chances to find the back of the net in a goalless first half in Lyon
But it was the Portuguese who broke the deadlock with a towering header in the 50th minute
Nani then doubled the lead three minutes later, diverting an effort from Ronaldo past Wayne Hennessey
When his team-mates had released him, when the private party of congratulation over by the corner flag had ended, Cristiano Ronaldo remembered his trademark celebration. Maybe there is a little bit of branding around it now, there is certainly no small ego – but, at its heart, beats a splendid and pure excess of joy.
So he did what he always does. He jumped in the air, spun around, flexed every muscle in what is an obsessively toned body, and stood, fists clenched by his side. Usually, in this moment he says, ‘Si’. Here he seemed to emit more of a wordless roar. Maybe a positive exclamation was in there somewhere.
Either way, like the goal that put Portugal on their way to the final in Paris on Sunday, it was unmistakeably Ronaldo. Impossible to begrudge, too. For all that cynics carp about his carefully crafted image, his apparent selfishness, the way every event turns into a festival of him, him, him, there is also something to be enjoyed in a great player who takes such pleasure in the simple act of scoring a goal.
MATCH FACTS
Portugal: Rui Patricio 7, Cedric 6.5, Bruno Alves 7, Fonte 7.5, Guerreiro 7, Danilo Pereira 6.5, Joao Mario 7, Renato Sanches 7.5 (Andre Gomes, 74), Adrien Silva 7 (Joao Moutinho 79), Nani 7.5 (Quaresma, 86), Ronaldo 8.
Subs not used: Lopes, Carvalho, Eder, Vieirinha, Rafa, Eliseu, Eduardo.
Goals: Ronaldo, 50, Nani, 53.
Booked: Alves, Ronaldo.
Manager: Fernando Santos 7.5
Wales: Hennessey 7, Gunter 6.5, Chester 7, Collins 7.5 (Jonny Williams 66, 6.5), Ashley Williams 7, Taylor 6.5, Allen 6.5, Ledley 6.5 (Vokes 58, 6), King 7, Robson-Kanu 6.5 (Church 63, 6), Bale 7.5.
Subs not used: Fon Williams, George Williams, Edwards, Richards, Cotterill, Vaughan, Ward.
Booked: Allen, Chester, Bale.
Manager: Chris Coleman 7.5
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) 7
There are so many scowls now, so much posturing, cynical badge kissing, inexplicable anger and moodiness, that to watch Ronaldo and the happiness the moment brings, remains among football’s rays of sunshine.
He knew what the goal meant, not just personally, but to his country. Within three minutes, Portugal had scored again – Ronaldo’s shot setting it up this time, Nani on target – and the match was won. Dragons are mythical creatures, and Wales’ run to the semi-final here has sometimes seemed unreal, too, but this was one mighty effort too many.
With key players suspended, it was always going to be difficult to overcome even an ordinary Portuguese side, and so it proved. Wales sorely missed Aaron Ramsey’s influence in midfield and barely threatened as a result.
Their progress has been magnificent, but within this egalitarian group there is a core of players that manager Chris Coleman could never do without in a match of this nature, Ramsey among them.
They were never as dangerous as against Belgium and goalkeeper Rui Patricio was scarcely troubled.
The last time a major international competition used a format of 24 teams reduced to 16 for the group stage, a lucky loser – third-placed Italy – ended up in the final, and so it is here. Italy scraped out of their group at the 1994 World Cup and Portugal finished third behind Hungary and Iceland.
Indeed, Fernando Santos’s team did not win a single game inside 90 minutes until Wednesday night – but here they are. So Ronaldo must have something. This is not a great Portugal team, but it is propelled by the desire of a great player. He was voted man of the match, and rightly so.
It wasn’t just his part in the goals that made him stand out – or even the free-kick that came as close as he has ever been to scoring with a dead ball in an international tournament – but more the way he served his team. He put in a shift, he truly did. Up and down the flank when necessary, central for much of the game, always alert to opportunity, always the man most likely to decide the occasion.
This was equally billed as Ronaldo versus Gareth Bale, the battle of the Galacticos. There was only one winner there, too. Bale was reduced by Ramsey’s absence. He had lost his fellow creative; the man who helps make his space.
So this was Ronaldo’s night, and what a header it was, to open the scoring. Ronaldo outjumped James Chester but no fault can be attached to the centre-half.
He was simply beaten by the better man, a short corner whipped in, the angle changed to best suit its target, Ronaldo eyes on the ball, leap, hang – and in like a rocket. Just three minutes later, that lead had doubled and one sensed there would be no way back for Wales.
It was Ronaldo’s shot this time, evaded by Renato Sanches, who may have been marginally offside and was most certainly active, finding Nani who poked it past Wayne Hennessey from close range.
Hennessey spilled another from Nani soon after, which Joao Mario should have scored on the rebound, but it would have been harsh for Wales to go down too heavily.
This has been far from a vintage tournament, but not for Wales, who have excelled. They can leave with heads high beaten by a player who, even at 31, can still lay claim to being the best in the world.
It was a huge night for British sport and the good news for those that hung on through the fourth and fifth sets of the Andy Murray match before turning over to the football, was that they didn’t miss all that much in the first-half.
It wasn’t bad, but it was hardly Wales’ quarter-final clash with Belgium, that crackled with tension from the start. For all the hyperbole around the match-up of Ronaldo and Bale, the pair sought influence without real success in the first 45 minutes.
The best Bale could do was force a corner or two with his crosses, the best for Ronaldo was a 44th minute header that at no time looked to be going in.
He was surprisingly well marshalled by James Collins, replacing the suspended Ben Davies at the back, even if some of the West Ham man’s moves were dangerously close to attracting the attention of Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson.
Certainly Ronaldo was screaming for a penalty when Collins placed him in what appeared to be a headlock in the area early on. It could easily have been given but Eriksson and his assistants were not that brave.
Joe Allen did go into the book, though, for two fouls inside eight minutes, and was lucky not to see red for another clattering. The amnesty that UEFA grants at the semi-final stage – only a player sent-off can be banned from the final – makes foul play almost the sensible tactic if threatened, and the players take full advantage. It makes for disjointed matches, at times, like this one.
Ronaldo, too, was booked late on for dissent but, even with the minutes ticking down, he remained on the pitch. Portugal rested him against Albania in a qualifying game once, lost, and the manager got sacked. No chances were being taken, and none were sought.
Ronaldo would have had to be dragged off by his expensively coiffured hair and, at the final whistle, his smile said it all. Joy, unbridled. Was this his proudest moment for Portugal? There is no doubt. Si.
