Belgium knocked defending champions Portugal out of Euro 2020 with a 1-0 victory in the final 16 on Sunday to set up a mouth-watering quarter-final tie against Italy. A 43rd-minute strike from Thorgan Hazard secured the succeed for Roberto Martinez ‘s team, who survived plenty of press from the Portuguese in the second half. – Dawson: Belgium prove they’re more than just goals
– De Bruyne, Hazard subbed off with injuries vs. Portugal
– Euro 2020 on ESPN: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)
– Euro 2020 on ESPN: Latest news, features, video But with the finishing touch lacking, it was the end of the road for Cristiano Ronaldo and a Portugal team who had triumphed in Paris five years ago.

Ronaldo bows out with five goals from four games, and is presently the tournament ‘s exceed scorer. Yet it remains to be seen if the 36-year-old will return for a one-sixth Euros in Germany in 2024 or if the competition ‘s all-time top scorer will bow out of national team duty after the Qatar World Cup following year. Belgium were among the pre-tournament favourites but this was a stodgy and uninspired display and they will need to raise their crippled significantly if they are to get by Roberto Mancini ‘s Azzurri who are unbeaten in 31 matches. Thorgan Hazard ‘s fine goal was their alone effort on target in the hale 90 minutes and there was little invention or flare from their midfield. “ In the first half we were playing high and putting atmospheric pressure on Portugal, but looking at that moment half, we are golden to win, ” said Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen. The undertaking against Italy could be even more difficult if Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, who both came off with knocks in the second half, are ineffective to recover from their latest wound woes. Portugal began brilliantly and Diogo Jota wasted a bang-up prospect in the sixth minute, dragging his shot across-the-board after Renato Sanches had broken from midfield and found him in a bright position on the leftover. Ronaldo then tested Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois with a low-struck exempt complain as Fernando Santos ‘s team continued to apply press. But Belgium grew into the plot with De Bruyne increasingly influential and they grabbed the precede three minutes before the time interval. A fresh legislate move ended with Thomas Meunier feeding Thorgan Hazard, whose wickedly swerving shooting flew past the wrong-footed Portugal custodian Rui Patricio.

Patricio stepped to the right in anticipation of a approximate mail shoot but was ineffective to get back across and was beaten by an effort that flew in centrally. “ In these kinds of games you have to grab your chances with both hands and voila, the goalkeeper expected me to choose the other corner, so the ball went in, ” said the scorer. Belgium suffered a blow when De Bruyne limped off with an injury three minutes after the break and Santos sought to breathe animation into his side ‘s attack by introducing Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix from the judiciary. Ronaldo, cutting in from the right, did well to find Jota in the box but again the ahead ‘s attempt was murder aim as Belgium struggled to contain their opponents. Belgium ‘s attempts to counter were increasingly rare and Portugal turned up the heat in the final 10 minutes as they searched desperately for an equalizer. Courtois punched away a thundering Ruben Dias heading from a corner and then Raphael Guerreiro struck the mail with a dulcet first-time shooting from the edge of the box. Deep in add time, Portugal created one final examination opportunity but Felix ‘s drive flashed just wide of Courtois ‘s right-hand post. “ I did n’t have a lot of study to do in the former three games, but I knew that was n’t going to be the case against Portugal, ” said Courtois.

“ I am proud of my team mates ; they defended very well. Italy will be unmanageable besides, but we have proved today that we are fix for it, ” he said. Eden Hazard, who has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, went off with what looked like a hamstring tense three minutes from the end. Belgium will face Italy, who beat Austria 2-1 on Saturday, in Munich on July 2 .