Cristiano Ronaldo had never scored against France in six competitions, then came a gift. Well, Danilo Pereira won’t think it was a gift, if he remembers it at all. Pereira was waylaid by keeper Hugo Lloris, setting up the Ronaldo goal vs France from the spot.
Portugal and France traded penalty kicks to go into halftime time tied on Wednesday in Budapest. Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 30th minute, with Karim Benzema equalizing just before halftime. Both also scored in the second half of the 2-2 draw.
Ronaldo’s penalty was awarded after Lloris punched his way through Pereira while attempting to clear a free kick played into the box. Lloris was shocked to be shown a yellow card, as goalkeepers are often allowed to get away with murder in the box, but VAR upheld the decision, in part because of the brutality of the collision.
¡Penal para Portugal! Puñetazo directo de Hugo Lloris sobre Danilo que se marca como pena máxima. #POR 0-0 #FRA#EuroTUDN I #VeranoDeCampeones I #EURO2020
¡En vivo!
TUDN, @univision y https://t.co/OmeLOvzglE
https://t.co/ug3PZJdrh3 pic.twitter.com/1zojeTzGMu— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) June 23, 2021
To no one’s surprise, Ronaldo took the penalty, sent Lloris the wrong way and slammed the ball the other way.
Cristiano Ronaldo Goal vs France
¡Gooooooooool de Portugal!
Cristiano Ronaldo no desaprovecha el regalo de Lloris y pone a los lusos líderes de grupo. ⚽#POR 1-0 #FRA#EuroTUDN I #VeranoDeCampeones I #EURO2020¡En vivo!
TUDN, @univision y https://t.co/OmeLOvzglE
https://t.co/ug3PZJdrh3 pic.twitter.com/f5zZW6W54d— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) June 23, 2021
Portugal was on top for most of the first half but France was able to get back in it thanks to a more dubious penalty call. Kylian Mbappé was run into by Nélson Semedo in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Because there was contact, there was no clear and obvious error and the call stood. Perhaps it was a make-up call, but France won't care.
¡Penaaaaaaal para Francia! Semedo cargó a Mbappé y Mateu Lahoz marca la pena máxima. ⚽#POR 1-0 #FRA#EuroTUDN I #VeranoDeCampeones I #EURO2020
¡En vivo!
TUDN, @univision y https://t.co/OmeLOvzglE
https://t.co/ug3PZJdrh3 pic.twitter.com/huzcrU26hi— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) June 23, 2021
Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate converted to send the teams into the locker room tied 1-1.
¡Goooooooooooool de Francia!
Benzema aprovecha el penal y vuelve a marcar con les Bleus casi seis años después. #POR 1-1 #FRA#EuroTUDN I #VeranoDeCampeones I #EURO2020¡En vivo!
TUDN, @univision y https://t.co/OmeLOvzglE
https://t.co/ug3PZJdrh3 pic.twitter.com/0ITylAw99r— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) June 23, 2021
Ronaldo equaled the all-time international goals record for men with a second goal in the second half, his 109th for Portugal.
