Written by James Masters at CNN.com
It may not have won a single game in 90 minutes but Portugal won’t care at all after reaching the semifinals of Euro 2016.
A penalty shootout victory over Poland after the game had finished 1-1 after extra-time ensured it will face either Wales or Belgium for a place in the final.
Ricardo Quaresma scored the winning penalty as Portugal triumphed 5-3 from the spot with Rui Patricio saving from Jakub Blaszczykowski.
Portugal, which reached the last four in 2012 before going out to eventual winner Spain, had come from behind to force extra-time after conceding early on to Robert Lewandowski.
Renato Sanches, the 18-year-old midfielder, leveled before the interval but neither team could force a winner.
It’s a remarkable achievement for a Portugual side which finished third in its group and progressed after three draws and an extra-time win over Croatia in the last 16.
Last four
While Portugal may not have found its most impressive form so far, it will favor its chances in the last four.
Ronaldo, who wasted a number of opportunities during the contest, will now have the chance to take his country one step closer to glory.
In 2004, Ronaldo and Portugal wept as it was stunned in its own backyard by a Greece team which pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the tournament’s history in the final.
But now, in a week in which Ronaldo’s nemesis Lionel Messi retired from international football after Argentina’s defeat in the final of the Copa America, both he and Portugal has renewed hope.
And yet in the opening throes of this contest, it appeared that it would be Poland which would be progressing to the next stage courtesy of its own talisman.
Lewandowski strikes
Lewandowski, top scorer in last season’s German Bundesliga and Poland’s trump card, had failed to score in his previous 643 minutes of action.
Fortunately, for Poland, while form is temporary, class is very much permanent. Just 100 seconds of the contest had elapsed when Kamil Grosicki found space on the left and his cross was fired home by Lewandowski.
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