Tuesday's Euro 2024 quarter-finals saw Portugal beat Slovenia in a tense penalty shootout after Ronaldo missed an extra-time penalty. Meanwhile, France secured a late victory over Belgium. In other news, England's investigation into Bellingham's gesture during their match has sparked controversy. Plus, Chelsea and Tottenham make transfers ahead of the next round. Get involved in the discussion on social media using #bbcfootball.
Portugal Advances to Euro 2024 Quarterfinals with Penalty Shootout Victory
Portugal secured a thrilling 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Slovenia in Tuesday's Euro 2024 quarterfinal. The match had ended 2-2 after extra time, with Cristiano Ronaldo missing a crucial penalty in the dying minutes.
Portugal's young star Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a superb solo effort. Slovenia equalized in the second half through Josip Illicic, but Joao Felix restored Portugal's lead in the 75th minute.
However, Slovenia refused to give up and leveled the score again through Miha Zajc in the 89th minute to force extra time. Ronaldo had a golden opportunity to win the match in the final minutes of extra time, but his penalty was saved by Jan Oblak.
In the subsequent penalty shootout, Portugal converted all four of their penalties while Slovenia missed two. Jose Fonte, Joao Moutinho, Bruno Fernandes, and Ruben Dias all scored for Portugal, while Illicic and Zajc missed for Slovenia.
France Secures Late Victory over Belgium
In the other quarterfinal, France survived a late Belgium onslaught to win 2-1. Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann scored for France in the first half, but Belgium fought back in the second half through Youri Tielemans.
France looked comfortable for much of the match, but Belgium came close to equalizing in the final minutes. However, Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save to deny Romelu Lukaku in the dying seconds.
England Investigation into Bellingham's Gesture Sparks Controversy
The Football Association (FA) has launched an investigation into England midfielder Jude Bellingham's middle-finger gesture during their 3-0 victory over Ukraine in the quarterfinal.
Bellingham was captured on camera making the gesture towards the Ukraine bench in the second half. The FA has confirmed that it is investigating the incident and could potentially punish Bellingham with a suspension.
The gesture has sparked controversy, with some commentators criticizing Bellingham for his lack of respect. However, others have defended the player, arguing that he was simply reacting to provocation from the Ukraine bench.
Chelsea and Tottenham Make Transfers Ahead of Next Round
Chelsea and Tottenham have both made significant transfers ahead of the next round of the competition.
Chelsea has signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a club-record fee of £106 million. The Argentine midfielder is considered one of the most promising young talents in the world and is expected to make an immediate impact at Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham, meanwhile, has signed Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon for a fee of £40 million. The Spanish full-back is known for his attacking qualities and is likely to provide a much-needed boost to Tottenham's defense.
Top 5 FAQs and Answers
1. Who scored for Portugal in the penalty shootout against Slovenia?
2. Why did Cristiano Ronaldo miss his penalty in extra time?
3. What is the FA investigating Jude Bellingham for?
4. Who has Chelsea signed for a club-record fee?
5. What position does Pedro Porro play for Tottenham?
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