Ronaldo Brace Sees Portugal Through, Dutch Out

© RIA Novosti . Vitaly Belousov / Go to the mediabankPortugal's win puts them second in Group B
Portugal's win puts them second in Group B - Sputnik International
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Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo gave Portugal a 2-1 comeback victory over Netherlands and a place in the quarterfinals of Euro 2012, as the Dutch exited with three defeats from three games

 

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo gave Portugal a 2-1 comeback victory over Netherlands and a place in the quarterfinals of Euro 2012, as the Dutch exited with three defeats from three games.

Portugal's win puts them second in Group B, the so-called Group of Death, on six points behind Germany, who won all of their matches.

Portugal will play the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals, while Germany face Greece.

Rafael van der Vaart opened the scoring for the Netherlands with a long-range curling shot on 11 minutes.

On 24 minutes Cristiano Ronaldo equalized after defender Joao Pereira's long pass sent the Real Madrid star one-on-one with Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Ronaldo put his team ahead 16 minutes from time on a magnificent counterattack, picking up Nani's pass in the box and dummying Dutch defender Gregory van der Wiel before scoring with a placed shot.

The first real attack of the match ended when Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder blazed the ball miles high above the bar on five minutes.

Ronaldo led a counterattack on 16 minutes but his shot whizzed just centimeters past the post.

A minute later Helder Postiga blew a similar opportunity while one-on-one with Stekelenburg after a mistake by Gregory van der Wiel.

Stekelenburg saved his team on 23 minutes by denying Ronaldo’s header from Nani’s pass.

Ronaldo scored his first goal of Euro 2012 on 24 minutes, picking up a defense-splitting through-ball from Pereira and sending it into the net past Stekelenburg.

The Real winger had a chance to grab a second 11 minutes later, but missed the target with a header from a corner.

In the second half, Dutch defender Ron Vlaar had the chance to restore his team’s lead on 53 minutes from a corner, but his headed effort sailed over the bar.

Helder Postiga hit the back of the net on the hour mark from Ronaldo’s cross, but it was ruled out for an obvious offside.

Stekelenburg was pressed into service for two spectacular saves as the Portuguese tightened their dominance, denying a distant shot from Fabio Coentrao and then a point-blank shot by Nani, who was supplied by Ronaldo.

Nani returned the favor with a precise cross into the penalty area on the 74th minute, and Ronaldo tricked van der Wiel by pausing before striking the far corner of the net.

The Dutch grew desperate but could not find an equalizer, even when Van der Vaart tried to emulate his first long-shot goal but clattered the post.

Ronaldo missed the chance to score the first hat-trick of the tournament when his long shot hit the post in the last minute.

Portugal: Rui Patricio, Pepe, Joao Pereira, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao (Custodio 72), Raul Meireles, Miguel Veloso, Joao Moutinho, Helder Postiga (Nelson Oliveira 64), Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani (Rolando 87).

Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg, Joris Mathijsen, Ron Vlaar, Jetro Willems (Ibrahim Afellay 67), Gregory van der Wiel, Arjen Robben, Nigel de Jong, Robin van Persie, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder.

 

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