Hazard rocket fires Belgium past holders Portugal and into last eight

Defending champions Portugal were knocked out of Euro 2020 on Sunday with a 1-0 to defeat to Belgium, who will next face Italy in a mouth-watering quarter-final tie.

?? EURO 2016 winners Portugal exit at the round of 16 stage…#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/DdRhxyAP2O

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 27, 2021

Belgium‘s Thorgan Hazard thundered in a first-half winner as they beat title holders Portugal 1-0 in their Euro 2020 last-16 game on Sunday to move into the last eight.

⏰ RESULT ⏰

?? Belgium through to the quarter-finals ?
?? Holders Portugal eliminated in round of 16

? How far will the Red Devils go? #EURO2020

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 27, 2021

Hazard found enough space after a swift passing move to rifle home from 20 metres and score against the run of play in the 42nd minute, setting up a quarter-final clash with Italy, who are unbeaten in their last 31 matches.

Yet Belgium‘s Kevin De Bruyne, only recently back from a facial injury, could be a doubt, hobbling off three minutes into the second half after suffering an ankle injury shortly before the break.

Diogo Jota had two good chances for the 2016 European champions  – one in each half – and Raphael Guerreiro hit the post in the 83rd minute but they could not find an equaliser despite an improved display in the second half.

Belgium will face Italy, who beat Austria 2-1 on Saturday, in Munich on July 2.

?? Belgium = quarter-finalists! ???#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/LjmJMwlMQk

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 27, 2021

Portugal began brightly and Diogo Jota wasted a great chance in the sixth minute, dragging his shot wide after Renato Sanches had broken from midfield and found him in a promising position on the left.

Ronaldo then tested Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois with a low-struck free kick as Fernando Santos’s team continued to apply pressure.

But Belgium grew into the game with Kevin De Bruyne increasingly influential and three minutes before the interval they grabbed the lead.

A smart passing move ended with Thomas Meunier feeding Thorgan Hazard, whose wickedly swerving shot flew past the wrong-footed Portugal keeper Rui Patricio.

Belgium suffered a blow when De Bruyne limped off with an injury three minutes after the break and Santos sought to breathe life into his side’s attack by introducing Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix from the bench.

Ronaldo, cutting in from the right, did well to find Jota in the box but again the forward’s effort was off target but Belgium were struggling to contain their opponents.

Belgium‘s attempts to counter were increasingly rare and Portugal turned up the heat in the final 10 minutes as they searched desperately for an equaliser.

Courtois punched away a thundering Ruben Dias header from a corner and then Raphael Guerreiro struck the post with a sweet first-time shot from the edge of the box.

Deep in added time, Portugal created one final opportunity but Felix’s drive flashed just wide of Courtois’s right-hand post.

Belgium will face Italy, who beat Austria 2-1 on Saturday, in Munich on July 2.  The Italians are unbeaten in their last 31 matches.