The first Semi Final of Euro 2016 featured Portugal and Wales , a game which was expected to be pretty even. Things were really tight in the first half before a 3 minute spell of dominance from Portugal turned the game around. Ronaldo and Nani scored in a brilliant performance for their team. Here are the 5 things we learnt from Portugal vs Wales.
1 Portugal’s experience counted
Portugal came into the game as the more experienced of the two sides. This being their 4th successive Euro Semi Finals. Wales , who were playing their first ever semi final in a major tournament looked nervy from the start and although Wales created more chances in the second half, Portuguese players stepped up in the second half and took the game out of Wales’s reach.
Wales’s inexperience at this level probably cost them a place in the final, they should now build on this and look forward to the World Cup.
2 Cristiano Ronaldo was brilliant
Can any great Portuguese performance go without saying that Cristiano Ronaldo was on fire. The former Manchester United man was pivotal to the Portuguese win and scored a brilliant header in the second half , rising highest and heading the ball in to give Portugal the lead.
Wales went in panic mode from there on and just moments later, a weak shot from Ronaldo found Nani inside the box who kept his cool to made it 2-0. Ronaldo could have had 3 or 4 goals on the night as tested Wayne Hennessey several times. The only downside was his free-kicks, after 43 free-kicks in major tournaments , Ronaldo still hasn’t scored from one and now probably should step down from free kick duties. He is now the joint top scorer in UEFA Euro history alongside Michel Platini and will surely want to write his name in the history books at the final.
3 Welsh team made a nation Proud
This was the first major tournament that Wales has participated in since the 1958 world cup where they reached the quarterfinals . This team defied all expectations and reached the semi finals. They were definitely unlucky to have missed out on the finals but their team effort deserves a credit and Chris Coleman and his team must now look forward to qualifying for the World Cup.
4 Wales missed Ramsey
It is evident to say that Wales missed one of their best Players on the biggest night in the footballing history. Wales’s midfield looked incomplete without Ramsey and although Andy King did a decent job filling in for Ramsey , they clearly missed his judgement in the final third. It’s a really harsh rule from UEFA to suspend a player for picking up just two yellow cards.
5 Portugal 90 mins away from glory
Portugal drew their first 3 group games and were yet to win a game in 90 minutes until now. They are really the most unlikely finalists in recent Euro history and now are just a win away from becoming the Champions of Europe. They will come against a really brilliant team in either France or Germany but there is one thing about this Portuguese team, no matter how unconvincing they have been , they were never looked like losing a game. They have been defensively sturdy though and now need to focus on the final.
Also Read – Euro Fantasy tips
