Portugal defeated Slovenia on penalties to advance to the quarter-finals and knock out an underdog team that had never before won any major tournament, though not before Ronaldo was reduced to tears when his penalty shot was saved by Jan Oblak in extra time.
Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig had Slovenia’s best chance of the night with five minutes remaining, but Costa’s outstretched foot was there to block it. In this article, we will discuss the high lights of Portugal National Football Team Vs Slovenia National Football Team Stats.
Portugal National Football Team
Portugal’s national football team, commonly referred to as Selecao, is one of the oldest and most acclaimed teams worldwide. Winning several prestigious tournaments such as Euro 2016, including Euro 2016, they have inspired generations of players and fans, leaving an indelible legacy behind for years to come.
Portugal’s initial golden generation included players such as Luis Figo and Eusebio, and was led to three European Championship titles and two World Cup victories in their heyday. Unfortunately, Portugal fell into decline over subsequent decades and did not make another appearance until late 1990s; when their Geracao de Ouro (Golden Generation) returned to form and they advanced to semi-finals of numerous European competitions.
Portugal and Slovenia met for the first time during Euro 2024 qualifying play-offs and played to a 1-1 draw, although their first encounter proved intense as both teams battled hard to keep it even. Following 120 minutes without scoring, penalties ensued; Portugal were victorious on all five of their spot kicks while Slovenia’s Jan Oblak attempted a shot that Cristiano Ronaldo miraculously blocked.
Portugal and Slovenia boast a perfect 1-0 record, and Portugal appears poised to claim their third successive meeting against Slovenia this Tuesday in a crucial Euro 2024 quarterfinals encounter. SportsLine’s experienced soccer handicappers know all of the best bets for this monumental game – come visit us and place your bets today! You can watch it all unfold live on CBS Sports Golazo Network. CBS Sports Golazo Network provides around-the-clock soccer viewing to fans nationwide with morning shows and exclusive games, plus free trials! Click here for more information and sign up now – streaming is available across PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphones!
Slovenia National Football Team
Slovenia may be small, but they have made major tournaments history several times by reaching the knockout rounds of major competitions. They’ve made three FIFA World Cup appearances and two UEFA European Championship ones; their best performance came at 2010 World Cup when they defeated Algeria 1-0 to advance into quarter-finals.
Matjaz Kek’s side have made five consecutive UEFA Nations League finals and three Euro 2024 qualifier appearances under him, all reaching the knockout stage in each game he led them in. Additionally, his roster features both young talent as well as experienced veterans.
Bostjan Cesar and Gregorz Zorc will lead Slovenia against Portugal with their impressive defensive abilities and mutual understanding, hoping to stop Portugal from getting into their box and creating scoring chances.
Cristiano Ronaldo made up for an earlier penalty miss to help Portugal edge Slovenia 3-2 on Monday in a dramatic Euro 2024 Round of 16 penalty shootout. Ronaldo missed his initial spot kick against Slovenia but scored his subsequent three penalties to ensure Portugal advanced into the quarter-finals.
It had been an incredible matchup, thrilling spectators from start to finish. Slovenia, as defending champions, were in control for most of the game but held tough to attack on counter-attack. At times it appeared the match would end in a draw until Cesar saved Ronaldo’s penalty late on and ensured an unlikely result.
Cristiano Ronaldo has long been considered one of the great legends of world soccer, and his penalty shootout performance against Slovenia proved this point. Even at thirty-something years old, Ronaldo remains one of the deadliest strikers in international football. SportsLine soccer insider Martin Green analyzed every facet of this match up and identified three surefire bets on this Euro 2024 fixture; click here for his complete breakdown on Portugal vs Slovenia odds and more!
Head-to-head record
Portugal must quickly recover after suffering a crushing defeat in their previous match as they host Slovenia in their Euro 2024 knockout stage game. Roberto Martinez’s side will take on an opponent whose group stage performance had an excellent goal differential (+2) and the winner of this clash will play either England or France for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Portugal leads Portugal in head-to-head UEFA competitions by one win, one draw, and zero losses. Portugal defeated Slovenia 2-0 during a friendly in March this year; this will mark Slovenia’s debut at major tournament knockout stage play – they had previously only ever managed one goal at each finals!
Ronaldo must start producing more for Portugal to defend their crown at this tournament. Since scoring his last goal at either tournament (European Championship or World Cup), this striker has yet to produce. That should give Martinez and his side reason for concern about whether Ronaldo can help the team succeed at successfully defending their title.
Portugal manager Fernando Santos may look towards RB Leipzig forward Eder for help in attack, though the 21-year-old hasn’t exactly distinguished himself for Portugal this year – scoring only four goals and his best showing coming against Hungary on June 25.
Even though Slovenia may lack some of the firepower of other teams in this tournament, they still possess a capable squad that aims to frustrate their hosts and force extra time or penalties into every match they enter. Adam Gnezda is an exceptional midfielder capable of creating opportunities for his teammates; Zan Karnicnik excels as an outstanding passer of the ball defender.
SportsLine’s soccer expert has dissected every facet of this matchup and favors an Under on total goals. To see his full analysis and picks, visit SportsLine now or view our live odds board to keep an eye on everything happening during this contest.
Team news
Cristiano Ronaldo made amends for his penalty miss and Diogo Costa was unbeatable as Portugal overcame Slovenia in an intense penalty shootout to advance to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. Both Manchester City players scored vital spotkicks that sent Portugal through to face France next.
Roberto Martinez faces an immense task as the Portugal manager to avoid an early-round exit at Euro 2022 and Euro 2008; Luis Figo decided not to quit international football following Euro 2022, however his absence has meant an underwhelming tournament thus far for European champions who have failed to live up to previous performance standards at major competitions.
Portugal are an extremely well-structured side who possess plenty of quality despite not possessing a huge amount of it. Their style of play has served them well over recent years – their defense is outstanding with no goals conceded during group stage play and goalkeeper Diogo Costa excelling himself with calm yet quick instincts behind goal.
Regarding Slovenia, they have played well as a team but their finishing has let them down. Benjamin Sesko stands out as their best offensive option and boasts excellent ball control skills – something their finishing has not achieved so far. He is an adept dribbler who can open up defenses easily, yet only through masterful team performance can Slovenia overcome such an insurmountable task. Slovenia will make their debut appearance in a major tournament’s knockout stage this time, providing them with their biggest challenge since losing out in 2000 against Greece at quarter final stage. This chance for redemption could come very soon!
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