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Euro 2016 Live Commentary: Portugal vs Wales



Good evening and welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the Euro 2016 semi-final between Portugal and Wales in Lyon.


Portugal are appearing in the final four of a major tournament for the seventh time in their history despite having failed to win a single game inside 90 minutes during this year's competition.

Wales, on the other hand, have been the surprise package of Euro 2016 and are gracing the semi-finals for the first time ever as they look to continue their dream run.

Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

PORTUGAL STARTING XI: Patrício; Cédric, José Fonte, Bruno Alves, Guerreiro; Danilo, João Mário, Adrien, Renato Sanches; Nani, Ronaldo

WALES STARTING XI: Hennessey; Gunter, Chester, Collins, Williams, Taylor; King, Ledley, Allen; Bale, Robson-Kanu


















Thank you for joining us!

It is Portugal who progress to the final of Euro 2016, then, but spare a thought for Wales. They have surpassed all expectations and will go home to a heroes' welcome following their performance at this summer's tournament, but this defeat will still be hard to take. They had just been beginning to dream, but those quickfire goals from Ronaldo and Nani at the start of the second half proved to be the difference in the end.


90+3 min FULL TIME: Portugal 2-0 Wales

90 min There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match, and three minutes left of Wales's incredible run.

88 min YELLOW CARD! Bale is the latest player in the book for a high boot on Cedric. No complaints there.

87 min PORTUGAL SUB: A third and final change from Portugal sees Nani replaced by Ricardo Quaresma.

86 min CHANCE! Another counter from Portugal as a ball is played in to Ronaldo, but Hennessey comes off his line and forces the skipper too far wide, and he can't squeeze his shot in.

85 min Just five minutes remain now as Wales continue to push for a goal, but surely they have left it too late now? It looks like Portugal will be in the final!

83 min Bale wins a free kick a long way from goal and chooses to shoot, such are the desperate times they find themselves in, This time his long-range strike hits the wall before it can trouble Rui Patricio, though.

82 min Bale really does look desperate to get Wales back into this one, and he is just everywhere at the moment. It may be too big a challenge for even him, though.

80 min SAVE! Bale seems to know that it will take something special now and he has another go from a long way out. This one is swerving everywhere, and Rui Patricio is needed to parry it away.

79 min PORTUGAL SUB: Another change from Portugal sees Silva replaced by the experienced Joao Moutinho.

78 min CLOSE! Portugal are inches from a third! Wales give the ball away sloppily and that results in Danilo being clean through on goal. He goes for goal and Hennessey lets the ball through his grasp, but then dives back onto it right on the line.

76 min SAVE! Bale looks to come up with something special here, letting fly from range, but his strike is straight at the keeper and he holds on to it comfortably.

74 min PORTUGAL SUB: Portugal make their first change of the night as Andre Gomes replaces Sanches.

74 min SHOT! It may get quite open now with Portugal's threat on the counter-attack and Sanches leads the charge here down the left flank. He cuts into a shooting position, but then blazes his effort well over.

73 min Bale swings it in to Chester, but the Wales defender can't control his header and it flies well off target.

72 min YELLOW CARD! One of the biggest cheers of the night greets a yellow card for Ronaldo, giving Wales a free kick in a crossing position.

71 min YELLOW CARD! Bruno Alves goes into the book for preventing Hennessey from taking a goal kick quickly.

71 min SAVE! Another good chance for Portugal from a corner as Fonte climbs highest this time, towering above his man to plant a header on target, This time Hennessey plucks the ball out of the air, though.

69 min Time is beginning to run out for Wales now. They have just over 20 minutes remaining to claw something truly special back from this predicament, but in truth Rui Patricio has not had anything particularly difficult to deal with throughout this contest.

67 min CHANCE! Half a chance for Wales as Bale cuts back on himself to create an angle for a cross. He eventually does lift the ball into the box and Vokes gets his head to it, but he can't steer it on target.

66 min WALES SUB: Coleman is not hanging about with his changes now. It is another attacking sub as Jonny Williams replaces Collins.

65 min CHANCE! Big chance for Portugal to put this one to bed as Nani lets fly from range, with his effort taking a slight nick off Chester on the way through. Hennessey gets his body behind it but can't collect as the ball bounces back off him to Joao Mario, who fires a low strike inches wide when he should have scored.

64 min WALES SUB: Wales make another change here as Simon Church replaces Robson-Kanu.

62 min YELLOW CARD! Ronaldo wins a free kick in a good shooting position, going down over the outstretched leg of Chester, who goes into the book.

61 min Almost a chance for Vokes as he tries to bring down Bale's floated ball into the area, but Bruno Alves makes an important challenge and Portugal survive the threat.

60 min Well, I said one team would need to go out and win this one, but I didn't expect Portugal to do it in such style and so quickly too. It really is hard to see Wales coming back from this one.

58 min WALES SUB: There is the change as Vokes replaces Ledley. It is an attacking one from Coleman, but he had little choice.

57 min Chris Coleman will need to do something sooner rather than later now. It is alright getting towards kitchen sink time, and it looks as though Sam Vokes is gearing up to come on.


55 min It is a long way back for Wales now. It would have felt particularly galling coming as it did so soon after the first.

53 min Oh it is all falling apart for Wales! Portugal have two goals in the space of three minutes as Nani slides in to convert a mis-hit Ronaldo shot from just outside the area. It looked as though it could be offside initially, but the replay shows that Nani was on, and he reacted well to put that one away.

53 min GOAL! Portugal 2-0 Wales (Nani)

52 min Ronaldo seems to break records on a weekly basis now, and he has done it again here...


50 min That is what Ronaldo can do! It is a brilliant header from the Real Madrid striker as he climbs highest in the area, hangs in the air and powers the ball home from a corner. Portugal played the set piece short initially before it was swung in, and Ronaldo was just so dominant with that header.

50 min GOAL! Portugal 1-0 Wales (Cristiano Ronaldo)

48 min It will be interesting to see how both sides approach this second half. Neither really went for it in what was a cautious opening 45 minutes, but surely that will have to change as this match progresses.

46 min KICKOFF: Portugal get us back underway for this second half. Can either side find a breakthrough in the coming 45 minutes, or will it be extra time again for Portugal?


Well, that was a very cagey opening 45 minutes! There is very little to separate the two sides at the halfway stage as we remain goalless in Lyon. Clear chances have been at a premium too, and while both sides are still very much in this match, they will probably need to improve if either of them are to win it and reach the final. Right now they look too scared to lose it rather than willing to take a few risks to win it.


45 min HALF TIME: Portugal 0-0 Wales

44 min CHANCE! Finally a chance for Ronaldo as he manages to escape the Welsh defence by moving to the opposite side from Collins. A cross arrives to the back post which Ronaldo rises to meet, but Chester does just enough to make things difficult for him and the Portugal skipper can only nod the ball wide.


42 min Ronaldo gets one of his first shooting opportunities tonight, but forget the duel with Bale - he is second best to James Collins at the moment. The defender rushes out to meet Ronaldo and makes a big block.

41 min Nothing to shout about in the last few minutes here. Wales enjoyed a good spell midway through the half, but it is all very even now and the two sides are very much cancelling each other out.

39 min It sounds strange to say with the likes of Ronaldo and Bale in the final third, but there is a touch of quality missing when it comes to the final ball here. Both sides are employing a lot of long-ball tactics which aren't yielding much joy


37 min In truth, Portugal are playing to the main strength of the Welsh defence. They have put a number of crosses into the box and thrown plenty of long balls forward, which is exactly what the likes of Collins and Williams are good at dealing with.

35 min There were a few question marks of Collins heading into this match as he is not used to playing in a back three and hasn't been heavily involved at this tournament. So far, though, he has been very impressive, dealing with Ronaldo on a number of occasions.


33 min SHOT! Another shot from Portugal, but again it comes from outside the box and fails to threaten Hennessey. It is Adrien Silva who let's fly, but he drags his shot comfortably wide.


32 min Renato Sanches, by the way, is the youngest player left at these Championships but is looking like one of the coolest men on the field at the moment. He really does look like a world-class talent in the making.


30 min Portugal enjoy a good spell of possession without making too much progress, and eventually Cedric Soares gets impatient and goes for goal from a long way out. Predictably, it flies a long way high and wide.


28 min This game is beginning to open up a little now, particularly when Wales are going forward. Bale is getting more and more involved and is looking very dangerous - he is outshining Ronaldo at this stage!


26 min The corner is just too high for Bale and that allows Portugal the chance to clear and counter. Sanches has been left up and he tries to take on two Wales players with a barraging run forward, but Taylor defends really well to pick his pocket.


25 min CHANCE! Wales are really growing into this game now. This time it is Robson-Kanu who spins around his marker Bruno Alves before firing a cross into the box. King is again at the front post to meet it, but his header comes off Fonte last and Wales win a corner.


23 min SAVE! Brilliant from Bale again as he skips away from Danilo and bursts forward into the Portugal half. He has two players in support, but perhaps understandably he goes alone and carries the ball almost to the edge of the box before letting fly. It is on target, but straight at the keeper, who holds on.


22 min Almost a chance for Wales as Bale shrugs off a challenge from Ronaldo on his way down the right flank before pulling a low ball into the box. King slides in at the near post but is just short of connecting with it and Rui Patricio gathers.


21 min Wales are just beginning to grow into the game a little now, seeing more of the ball and getting their key players more involved. They got through the first 20 minutes comfortably enough and are now starting to come out of their shells a little.


19 min SHOT! They offered a big aerial threat from corners against Belgium, but they switch things up here and Ledley plays it low into the box. Bale peels off his man and tries to wrap his foot around the ball, but it is a difficult one and it flies over. Clever from Wales, though.


18 min Wales make their first real foray forward, and it is no surprise to see Bale involved. He gets down the left before seeing his attempted cross blocked behind for their first corner of the game.


16 min SHOT! The first shot of the contest comes from Portugal as Joao Mario plays a smart one-two with Ronaldo before bursting up to the edge of the box. He tries to 
pick out the bottom far corner but drags his shot a little and it rolls a few yards wide.

14 min Portugal boss Fernando Santos is just trying to calm his players down a little at the moment. It has been a fairly scrappy opening to the match, but it is Portugal who have been on top and look most like scoring.

12 min I've just seen a replay of that Collins incident on Ronaldo, and referee Jonas Eriksson could have quite easily given a penalty for that one. Ronaldo looked to have the march on the defender and you would have backed him to get there, but Collins did what he needed to do - legal or not.

10 min Big piece of defending from Collins here, who rises well inside the box to clear the danger just when it looked as though Ronaldo would get to the ball. Ronaldo wants a penalty, and in truth he has a shout, but the referee once again says no.

8 min YELLOW CARD! Allen got away with a foul on Guerreiro a little earlier, but he doesn't escape this time and the Liverpool man picks up a yellow card having almost been caught in possession inside his own half. No complaints there.

7 min As you would imagine, there is a great noise inside the stadium at the moment, despite a number of empty seats dotted around the place. Wales have made a fairly sloppy start in possession, though, and they just need to calm themselves down early on here.

5 min Portugal are seeing the majority of the ball in these opening exchanges, but they haven't made much of a dent into the Welsh defence so far.


3 minIt's been a cautious start from both sides at the moment, even a little nervy, which is perhaps understandable under the circumstances. Ronaldo makes his first run at the defence before being brought down by Williams, but the referee waves play on.


1 minKICKOFF! Here we go then! It is a magnificent occasion in Lyon as Wales get us underway on the grandest stage in their history.
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