Belgium stops Portugal, Dutch kicked out

The Belgium line up that beat Portugal. PHOTO @BelRedDevils

Netherlands 0 Czech Republic 2
Belgium 1 Portugal 0

Seville, Spain | THE INDEPENDENT |  Thorgan Hazard’s magnificent goal helped Belgium knock out holders Portugal on Sunday.

Courtois made world-class saves against dangerous Portugal, but Belgium – with plenty of character and a little luck – reach the quarter-finals. They face Italy next.

Earlier, goals from Tomáš Holeš and Patrik Schick sent an impressive Czech Republic side into the quarter-finals.

Patrik Schick scored his fourth goal of UEFA EURO 2020 as the Czech Republic beat a ten-man Netherlands outfit to reach the quarter-finals – where in-form Denmark will await them.

In an eventful opening in Budapest, both teams were able to create opportunities. Frank de Boer’s Oranje soon hit their stride, though, and the Czechs struggled to deal with their pace. However, Matthijs de Ligt and Memphis Depay spurned chances to secure a lead.

Against the run of play, Tomáš Souček glanced wide Petr Ševčík’s cross and Antonín Barák flashed over from close range, as Jaroslav Šilhavý’s side regained a foothold.

Perhaps the key moment came shortly after half-time. After Donyell Malen’s surge from deep was cut out by keeper Tomáš Vaclík, almost immediately the Netherlands were reduced to ten men as last-man De Ligt’s handball denied Schick a clear run on goal.

The Dutch looked rattled and the Czechs capitalised. Holeš’s powerful header finally broke the deadlock on 68 minutes following Barák’s free-kick. And they weren’t finished: 12 minutes later Holeš advanced to tee up Schick – becoming the second Czech to net four times at a EURO tournament, alongside Milan Baroš (five goals in 2004) – to seal a quarter-final spot.

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SOURCE: UEFA2020 MEDIA

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