- Fran Reilly
- Sat, Jun 18 2016
On another frustrating night for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty and had a goal ruled out for offside, on top of missing a host of other chances, as Austria held out for a 0-0 draw in Paris.
Portugal had a total of 23 chances in the game, including Ronaldo's failed spotkick which hit the post, but couldn't find a way past a stubborn Austrian rearguard nor the inspired goalkeeper behind it, Robert Almer. Portugal have now had 50 attempts across their two Euro 2016 games with just one goal to show for it.
The result leaves Group F wide open with Austria sitting bottom with one point knowing a win over Iceland could see them through to the last-16. Portugal are on two points but know a win over Hungary could see them top the group – another draw, though, and progress is less certain.
The last time Portugal faced Austria was in qualifying for Euro 96. They drew 1-1 away from home but Luis Figo was the difference in Portugal, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win. In Paris, Ronaldo surpassed Figo as Portugal's all time appearance holder, winning his 128th cap – but it is a night he will soon want to forget.
Austria had the game's first chance on three minutes. Front man Marcel Sabitzer found himself on the right flank and crossed for the onrushing Martin Harnik who couldn't jump high enough to reach it, the ball skimming off the top of his head. After this, though, it was Portugal who made all the running for the most of the game.
They had their first chance in the sixth minute. Vieirinha's cross hit an Austrian player and deflected into the air. Nani tried to steer a powerful header goalward but it flew well over.
The Fenerbache winger should have put Portugal ahead in the 12th minute when he danced through two Austrian challenges, but Almer stood tall to make the save when one-on-one. The ball was cleared as far as Vieirinha outside the box. The wing-back let rip from distance, but Almer flew through the air to push it wide.
In the 19th minute, Martin Hinteregger, eight yards from goal, played a backpass while under pressure to Almer who ended up cannoning the ball off of the centre-back and out for a corner. Both will be relieved that Ricardo Carvalho's header from the resulting delivery went well wide.
Ronaldo was guilty of passing up chances against Iceland and he did it again here in the 22nd minute. Raphael Guerreiro played a one-two with Nani down the left side and pulled the ball back into the heart of the area. Ronaldo had drifted off his marker to hit a first-time side-foot shot, but it went wide of the target.
Portugal came even closer six minutes later when Nani hit the post with a header after a cross from Andre Gomes. Then, in the 41st minute, David Alaba almost helped gave Austria the lead against the run of play when he won a free-kick on the right of the penalty area, just outside the box.
After ushering Marko Arnautovic away from the deadball (which the Stoke City winger looked less than impressed about), Alaba whipped in a fierce cross at pace that Vieirinha did incredibly well to head away from goal with Harnik flying in behind him.
The restart wasn't even one minute old when Austria had just their third chance of note in the game, Stefan Ilshanker's drive from distance forcing Rui Patricio into his first proper save of the night.
Ronaldo hit his crispest shot of the evening in the 55th minute, low and hard towards the bottom left hand corner. Almer was at full stretch to keep it out with a strong left-hand, an excellent save.
From the resulting corner, Ronaldo headed downward but Almer denied him again. The Portuguese captain let out a roar of frustration while the Austrian fans chanted Almer's name.
Austria were trying to battle manfully back into the game but lost Alaba in the 65th minute, their talisman a subdued force for much of the evening. Just after Alaba left the field, Ronaldo struck one of his trademark free-kicks just over the bar.
Worse was to come for the Real Madrid star. In the 78th minute, Portugal won a penalty when Ronaldo was wrestled to the ground by Martin Hinteregger who was booked for his troubles. Up stepped Ronaldo who sent Almer the wrong way but hit the post.
Amazingly, it got worse again as Ronaldo rose highest to head home a Portuguese free-kick in the 85th minute only to be correctly flagged for offside. Ronaldo has now had more shots in this tournament than nine teams combined.
Portugal: Rui Patricio; Vieirinha, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Raphael Guerreiro; Ricardoto Quaresma (Joao Mário, 71), Joao Moutinho, William Carvalho, André Gomes (Eder, 83); Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Nani (Rafa Silva, 89).
Subs not used: Anthony Lopes (GK), Eduardo Carvalho (GK), Cédric Soares, Adrien Silva, José Fonte, Eliseu, Bruno Alves, Renato Sanches, Danilo Pereira.
Bookings: R Quaresma (31), Pepe (40).
Austria: Robert Almer; Florian Klein, Sebastian Prodl, Martin Hinteregger, Christian Fuchs; Martin Harnik, Stefan Ilshanker (Kevin Wimmer, 86), Julian Baumgartlinger, Marko Arnautovic; David Alaba (Alessando Schopf, 65); Marcel Sabitzer (Lucas Hinterseer, 85).
Subs not used: Heinz Lindner (gk), Ramazan Ozcan (gk), Marcus Suttner, Gyorgy Garics, Jakob Jantscher, Marc Janko, Rubin Okotie.
Booked: M Harnik (47), C Fuchs (60), M Hinteregger (78).
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (ITA).
Attendance: 44,291.
Extratime Man of the Match: Robert Almer (Austria).
You can see Al Robinson's pictures from this game here.
