Portugal have just stunned favourites France 1-0 at the Stade de France to emerge the winners of the 2016 European Championship. The lone goal was scored in the 109th minute in extra time by substitute Eder.
It is Portugal’s first major trophy. After seven semi-finals and two finals, the last on home soil in 2004, Portugal finally won a major football trophy. It is as dream come true for the small country and also for their talisman, Christiano Ronaldo. The trophy is now crowns his illustrious career as a player. Though he played no part in the victory (he was removed in the 23rd minute due to injury), he could now lay claim of being one of the football greats after helping his country to a major trophy.
Les Blues failed mainly because they had already won the cup in their head even before the game started. This apart, coach Didier Deschamps made some decisions that later proved costly. Now his side has suffered the same fate like Portugal in 2004 when lowly Greece stunned them 1-0 to win the trophy in Lisbon.
It was Portugal’s first win over France since 1975 when they won Les Blues 2-0 in a friendly in Paris.
France played into the hands of the Portuguese. They should have played their fast, pressing game and ought to have taken more risk. The French team is well equipped to destroy Portugal but Deschamp chose not to take the bull by the horn. At a point Frabce stopped pressing, playing wait and see and that was the beginning of the end.
Portugal is the first time that finished third in the group that went ahead to lift the cup.
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