Spain Beats Germany in Overtime to Advance to Euro Semifinals; France Defeats Portugal

Portugal Ronaldo and Germany Kroos, last Euro challenge ends in quarterfinals.

Spain and France have advanced to the semifinals of the Euro 2024 (European Football Championship) by beating their 'tough rivals' Germany and Portugal, respectively.

In the quarterfinals held at the Stuttgart Arena in Germany on the 6th (Korean time), Spain won 2-1 in extra time after a 1-1 draw with the host country Germany after 90 minutes.

Spain, winners of the 1964, 2008, and 2012 Euros, have reached the semifinals of two consecutive tournaments, following their recent Euro 2020 (to be held in 2021) semifinal defeat to Italy on penalties.

Spain will face France, who defeated Portugal on penalties, in Munich on the 10th for a spot in the final. 안전 슬롯사이트

Germany, which has won the European Championship three times (1972, 1980, and 1996) and is tied with Spain for the most titles, has advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in eight years since 2016 (semifinals), but has not advanced to the semifinals.

After both teams went scoreless in the first half, Spain opened the scoring with Dani Olmo’s goal in the 6th minute of the second half.

Ramin Yamal’s low pass from the right side of the penalty area was met by Olmo, who ran into the center and hit the net with his right foot.

Germany failed to counterattack in the 25th minute of the second half.

With Robert Andrich’s powerful long-range shot from the penalty arc being blocked by goalkeeper Unai Simon, and Niklas Fjelkruk’s counterattack finish hitting the post in the 32nd minute, and the game gradually became more and more difficult.

However, in the 44th minute of the second half.

Germany barely managed to force the match into extra time when Josef Kimmich headed in Maximilian Mittelstadt's cross and Florian Wirtz equalized.

The balance, which had been tight throughout most of extra time, was finally broken in the 14th minute of the second half of extra time.

Olmo's cross from the left flank was headed in by Mikel Merino, who became the hero of the golden winning goal.

Veteran midfielder Toni Kroos, who left the German national team after Euro 2020 and returned ahead of this tournament hosted by his country, played the full game that day but could not smile.

Kroos had already retired from his team Real Madrid (Spain) after the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final last month, and this Euro was his last stage as a player.

In the other quarterfinals held in Hamburg, the 2022 Qatar World Cup runners-up France defeated Portugal 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in overtime to advance to the semifinals for the first time in eight years since 2016, when they finished runners-up.

France are aiming for their third Euro title after 1984 and 2000.