Minute by Minute: Portugal - Germany

Jonathan Roorda - 19 June 2008 20:29

Michael Ballack and Cristiano Ronaldo

BASEL (SW) - Twenty-four matches were needed to send home eight teams, but from now on things will go a lot faster as Euro 2008 enters its knock-out phase. SoccerWay keeps you up to date on the first quarter final match, between Portugal and Germany.

Final score: <b>2-3</b>

More match information: <a href="http://www.soccerway.com/match/european-championships/portugal/germany/639090/">Here</a>.

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FULL TIME - Germany are through to the semi finals! Portugal tried but couldn't, and fail to reach the semi finals for the first time in three tournaments.

Minute 90+4: The Germans counter-attack and Podolski has a shot saved by Ricardo.

Minute 90+3: Helder Postiga has a chance to head on goal but commits a foul instead.

Minute 90+2: One chance less now for the Portuguese as Nani's shot goes over the bar.

Minute 90+1: Four added minutes might just give Portugal enough time to level.

Minute 90: Helder Postiga now fouls Mertesacker and forces the referee to show a yellow card.

Minute 89: Germany are going to defend their now narrow lead and Flick is bringing in another defender: Jansen for Klose.

Minute 87: <b>GOAL PORTUGAL (2-3) - HELDER POSTIGA</b> - The substitute gives Portugal one last chance with a strong header from a left winged cross!

Minute 83: Ronaldo has a shot blocked by a defender, and the attack comes to nothing. Meanwhile, man of the match Schweinsteiger makes place for Fritz.

Minute 81: It's really starting to look like it's all over for Portugal, who just can't worry Lehmann and his defense.

Minute 79: Lukas Podolski comes storming in after a German corner kick is cleared and his powerful shot from more than twenty meters flies only just past the post.

Minute 78: Jens Lehmann is doing really well today. The keeper, who joins Stuttgart after this summer, now blocks an attempt by Deco.

Minute 75: Meireles tries another shot. It's better than the previous ones but still not good enough.

Minute 74: And Scolari has brought on Helder Postiga for Petit.

Minute 73: Hans Flick makes a change with Hitzlsperger coming off for Borowski.

Minute 71: Although only twenty minutes are left, Germany will know that a quick goal now could completely change things again. Surely, Portugal know this too.

Minute 71: Petit forces Lehmann to make a good save following a fast low shot.

Minute 70: Lahm shoots from a diagonal angle but his effort isn't on goal.

Minute 68: Cristiano Ronaldo takes a free kick from the left wing and whereas Schweinsteiger would have tried to find a team mate, Ronaldo attempts to shoot on goal. It goes high over.

Minute 67: Nuno Gomes comes off and Cristiano Ronaldo gets the captain's ribbon. He's also joined by fellow Man United player Nani.

Minute 63: This was exactly what Germany needed right now, as the best defense is the attack. Portugal will need to be very flexible now if they are to fight their way back once again.

Minute 61: <b>GOAL GERMANY (1-3) - MICHAEL BALLACK</b> - Germany restored their comfortable lead as Schweinsteiger takes a free kick on the left wing and Ballack heads home! It's basically a copy of Germany's first goal.

Minute 60: Pepe gets yellow for a rather rough clash with Klose, who needs treatment.

Minute 59: Germany really need to do something now as Portugal are getting stronger by the minutes. Joachim Löw can't do anything as he's watching from a skybox, so his replacement Hans Flick will have to take care of things.

Minute 57: Pepe almost scores Portugal's second but the defender heads over the bar from short range!

Minute 56: Ronaldo sends in a cross from the left but Lehmann controls.

Minute 52: Deco scores but the whistle for off side had already sounded, so some Portuguese fans celebrate for nothing.

Minute 51: Bad news for all sun-lovers in Basel as it has begun to rain. Hopefully it won't affect the recently installed pitch too much.

Minute 49: And another booking, this time for Lahm following a foul on Simao.

Minute 48: Referee Fröjdfeldt hands Arne Friedrich a yellow card and the decision is more than correct as it turns out that the German stood on Cristiano Ronaldo's foot while the Portuguese star was already down on the pitch.

Minute 46: Meireles shoots but doesn't manage to get it on goal.

Minute 46: The second half has begun and Portugal have 45 minutes left to level the score.

HALF TIME - It's been a very entertaining first half. Germany were the better side and went up 2-0 with goals from Schweinsteiger and Klose, but Nuno Gomes then got one back for Portugal. Anything could happen in the second half.

Minute 45+1: Ronaldo shoots from the left side and the ball goes just wide of the far post.

Minute 45: Ballack tries a powerful shot but Ricardo blocks it.

Minute 42: Great match so far with three goals in only forty minutes! That's very promising for the second half.

Minute 40: <b>GOAL PORTUGAL (1-2) - NUNO GOMES</b> - Cristiano Ronaldo finally shows a bit of skill but has a shot blocked by Lehmann. However, the rebound is for Nuno Gomes who strikes home to give Portugal new hope!

Minute 38: Meireles tries a distance shot but it goes well wide of the right post.

Minute 37: A Portuguese corner kick is well collected by Jens Lehmann.

Minute 32: Simao finds Cristiano Ronaldo in the penalty area but instead of going for personal glory, the Man United forward tries to pass back but a German gets in between.

Minute 31: Apparently Joao Moutinho wasn't faking his pain and he comes off for Meireles.

Minute 28: Not many would have expected Germany to lead 2-0 after less than thirty minutes and Portugal really need to reply fast.

Minute 26: <b>GOAL GERMANY (0-2) - MIROSLAV KLOSE</b> - Schweinsteiger takes a free kick and it's met by Klose, who heads in Germany's second! What a start for the Germans!

Minute 26: Free kick to Germany and a yellow card for Petit for a foul on Metzelder.

Minute 25: And he's back, so apparently it wasn't all that bad.

Minute 24: Joao Moutinho seems quite injured after getting his foot stuck in the grass.

Minute 22: <b>GOAL GERMANY (0-1) - BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER</b> - A fantastic German attack, performed on the left wing, enables Lukas Podolski to send in a low cross and Schweinsteiger puts it past Ricardo for 0-1!

Minute 20: Big chance for Portugal now as Joao Moutinho puts the ball over the bar with his knee, where a header would possibly have been more effective.

Minute 19: Portugal with a fluent attack that might just give them back their focus. Cristiano Ronaldo ends up getting the ball but Lehmann avoids the shot.

Minute 18: Schweinsteiger takes a German corner kick and Michael Ballack heads it over.

Minute 15: Petit shoots on goal from the right side but Lehmann saves.

Minute 15: Whether Portugal are nervous or just lacking concentration, they don't seem to be in sync with each other yet as many passes fail to arrive.

Minute 10: Hitzlsperger tries a shot from a seemingly impossible angle but it does actually come dangerously close to the goal.

Minute 9: Germany have a free kick at about 37 meters but Hitzlsperger hits the only player in the 'wall', Deco.

Minute 6: Germany enjoy most of the possession in the opening phase but no chances yet up til now.

Minute 2: The German line-up for this game includes Simon Rolfes. The Bayer Leverkusen player replaces the injured Torsten Frings.

Kick-off: The match has started. This is the real thing!

Pre-match: We couldn't have wished for a better first quarter final, with 2004 runners-up Portugal facing 1996 champions Germany. Our referee tonight is Swedish Peter Fröjdfeldt and the weather is perfect for football at 22 degrees Celsius.