Ronaldo exits after Belgium beats Portugal 1-0 at Euro 2020

SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Belgium held Cristiano Ronaldo scoreless and defeated defending champion Portugal 1-0 Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals of the European Championship.

Thorgan Hazard scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute with a swerving shot from outside the area that left Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício wrong-footed and late to swat the ball away.

Ronaldo stayed one goal away from becoming the all-time men’s top scorer in international soccer. He is tied with former Iran striker Ali Daei at 109 goals.

Belgium will next face Italy in the quarterfinals on Friday in Munich.

Belgium played most of the second half without Kevin De Bruyne, who had to be substituted after being tackled from behind.

Portugal had several good chances to equalize late in the match, including a header by Rúben Dias saved by Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and a shot by Raphael Guerreiro that hit the post.

While Portugal’s run for a second consecutive European title ended, Belgium stayed on track to finally lift a major trophy for the first time. The Belgians lost in the European Championship final in 1980 and finished third three years ago at the World Cup for their best finish at that tournament.

The top-ranked Red Devils have won all four matches so far at Euro 2020 and won all 10 qualifiers for the tournament. The team is unbeaten in 13 consecutive matches in all competitions, since a loss to England last year in the Nations League.

CZECH REPUBLIC 2, NETHERLANDS 0

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Tomas Holes and Patrik Schick scored second-half goals to give the Czech Republic a 2-0 victory over 10-man Netherlands and a place in the quarterfinals.

Netherlands central defender Matthijs de Ligt was sent off for a handball in the 55th minute when under pressure from Schick. The red card was given following a video review.

Holes then put the Czechs ahead in the 68th minute with a powerful close-range header. He sprinted into the left of the penalty area and squared the ball to give Schick his fourth goal of the tournament in the 80th.

Only Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has more goals at Euro 2020 with five.

The Czechs will next face Denmark in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan.

With Schick practically on his back inside the penalty area, De Ligt slipped and scooped the ball away with his right hand. Referee Sergei Karasev awarded a free kick and, after jogging over to check his TV monitor, sent off De Ligt with a red card.

The incident came only moments after the Dutch could have taken the lead when forward Donyell Malen went clean through. He failed to get around goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik with an empty net waiting.

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