{OSEN=Lee In-hwan] Is it the taste of 'sweet and salty'? Cristiano Ronaldo (40, Al Nassr) showed both the bottom and the heavens.
The defending champion Spain advanced to the semifinals after drawing 3-3 with the Netherlands in the quarterfinal second leg held at Estadio de Mestalla in Valencia, Spain, at 4:45 a.m. (Korean time) on the 24th, and winning 5-4 in a penalty shootout. The two teams, which had also drawn 2-2 in the first leg, could not determine the winner with a combined score of 5-5, and ultimately Spain prevailed after the penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, Germany advanced to the semifinals with a total score of 5-4 after drawing 3-3 with Italy in the second leg held at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. Germany, which scored three goals in the first half, took the lead with the help of Joshua Kimmich’s one goal and two assists but struggled against Italy's counterattack in the second half. Moise Kean scored two goals, and Giacomo Raspadori added another, but no more ties were allowed.
France confirmed its place in the semifinals after defeating Croatia 2-0 in the second leg at Stade de France in Saint-Denis and winning 5-4 in a penalty shootout. After losing 0-2 in the first leg, France extended the match with a fantastic free kick goal from Michael Olise and an additional goal from Ousmane Dembélé, and in the penalty shootout, Dayot Upamecano succeeded as the last kicker, leading to victory.
Portugal completed a thrilling comeback with a total score of 5-3 after scoring five goals against Denmark in the second leg held at home. After losing 0-1 in the first leg, Portugal turned the match around in extra time after an own goal from the opponent, followed by relay goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Francisco Trincão, and Gonçalo Ramos.
The upcoming semifinal matchups have been confirmed, with Germany facing Portugal and Spain taking on France, set to clash in June for a place in the finals.
For Portugal, there was a precarious tightrope walk by Cristiano Ronaldo. In the 6th minute of the first half, he earned a penalty kick (PK) by drawing a foul from Patrick Dorgu. He took on the role of the kicker but attempted a Panenka kick against the opposing goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, which was perfectly anticipated. His attempt at a Panenka instead of a strong shot was completely read and easily saved.
Still, in the 26th minute of the second half, Ronaldo struck a vital goal that brought the team to extra time, cutting through after a chaotic situation following a shot from Fernandes while trailing in aggregate score 1-2. Notably, he finished in a difficult position with seemingly no angle, which was the highlight.
Ronaldo's career total reached his 929th goal and his 136th goal for the national team. After finding himself in a crisis due to a missed penalty kick, Ronaldo succeeded in overcoming the challenge. His next opponent is Germany. Even at an advanced age, attention is focused on whether Ronaldo can continue his challenging path as he lights up the final chapter of his career.