Portugal prolonged their 2023 European U21 Championship campaign after an exciting 2-1 win against Belguim at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium.
Rui Jorge’s side took the lead in the 56th minute when Fábio Silva’s deflected cross fell perfectly for João Neves, the midfielder executing a textbook volley that gave Maarten Vandevoordt no chance.
Belgium equalised nine minutes later when substitute Yorbe Vertessen headed Loïs Openda’s cross past Celton Biai.
The Equipa das Quinas had to win to have any chance of staying in the tournament and were given a glorious opportunity minutes before added time.
Zeno Debast failed to clear the ball and compounded his error by taking out Henrique Araújo, Portugal awarded a penalty that Tiago Dantas buried into the bottom corner.
Six minutes of added time were navigated before confirmation that Georgia had drawn 1-1 against the Netherlands, the results combining to send Portugal into the quarter-finals where they will take on England.
Nervous start
Portugal had a horror start in Tbilisi with Samuel Costa’s poor pass pounced on by Michel-Ange Balikwisha. The winger squared the ball to Loïs Openda who hit the post and gathered the rebound, his second attempt saved by Celton Biai.
The Equipa das Quinas immediately went on the attack, a long ball collected by Pedro Neto who cut inside and shot straight at Maarten Vandevoordt.
Another awful pass from Costa was intercepted but went unpunished, the midfielder looking extremely nervous with so much at stake.
Portugal get on the front foot
Fábio Silva had a great chance after Neto’s shot was blocked, his left-footed strike testing Vandevoordt who was up to the task at his near post.
Neto was heavily involved, getting past Koni De Winter who was booked for bringing the forward down. Neto’s free kick took a touch and found Samuel Costa at the back post, his header deflected wide.
Francisco Conceição went close to finding Neto after a surging run forward, the Ajax winger then going himself and seeing his shot blocked.
Celton Biai cleans up again
Belgium weather the storm and went close to taking the lead when Michel-Ange Balikwisha strolled through some feeble defence, Biai doing well to come off his line and make another important save.
Portugal started the second half strong with João Neves heading a corner towards the back post where Fábio Silva decided to pass instead of going for goal.
The Young Devils responded with Hugo Siquet and Charles De Ketelaere seeing their shots blocked, but Belgium soon found themselves behind.
Two goals in nine minutes
The opening goal came in the 56th minute when Fábio Silva did well to keep the ball in play and race into the box, his deflected cross falling perfectly for João Neves who volleyed past Vandevoordt.
André Amaro was booked for preventing Loïs Openda racing clear before both managers went to their bench in the 61st minute. Jacky Mathijssen introduced Nicolas Raskin and Yorbe Vertessen for Eliot Matazo and Largie Ramazani, Rui Jorge bringing on Diego Moreira for Conceição.
Three minutes later Belgium equalised. Nuno Tavares lost possession, the Young Devils breaking down the right wing where Openda delivered the ball into the box, Vertessen doing well to get between Portugal’s centre-backs and head past Biai.
Game on!
Jorge immediately introduced André Almeida and Henrique Araújo for João Neves and Fábio Silva.
Samuel Costa’s spectacular overhead kick went wide before Belgium spurned a great opportunity to take the lead. Diego Moreira was caught in possession, the ball eventually finding Vertessen who couldn’t keep his shot down.
Paulo Bernardo came on for Samuel Costa and was immediately prevented from racing clear after a poor decision from referee Willy Delajod. Assistant coach Pauleta was booked for voicing his displeasure as the tension in Tbilisi turned up a notch.
Both teams were going for the win with Neto bursting into the box but unable to find Araújo, Openda scoring from an offside position at the other end. Neto then presented Moreira with a great chance but the winger skied his shot way over the bar.
Portugal awarded a penalty
The crucial moment of the match came in the 89th minute with Belgium contributing to their own demise. Zeno Debast’s clearance went high into the air, the centre-back taking out Araújo with Delajod pointing to the spot andTiago Dantas making no mistake.
Portugal successfully navitaged a nervy six minutes of added time, Biai punching away a dangerous cross and celebrating like he had scored a goal.
Delajod finally blew the final whistle, Portugal not having to wait long to get confirmation that Georgia had earned a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands which sends the Equipa das Quinas into the quarter-finals.
Analysis
This is what international football is all about. Portugal’s players and everyone associated with the team were understandably ecstatic after the victory and the result between Georgia and the Netherlands was confirmed.
With every winner there has to be a loser, Belgium’s players deserving consideration despite some ugly scenes after the final whistle when they got in the face of referee Willy Delajod.
Portugal’s 2-0 defeat to Georgia and 1-1 draw against the Netherlands can now be well and truly forgotten, the quarter-final clash against England the only thing that matters.
Rui Jorge made one important change in Tbilisi with André Almeida, who scored the opening goal in the 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, replaced by Francisco Conceição.
The switch saw Fábio Silva move from the right wing to the left wing, Pedro Neto largely operating through the middle with licence to roam. Afonso Sousa and Almeida took turns in the playmaker position, but it makes sense to give your best player freedom and Neto rewarded Jorge with a deserved man of the match performance.
The Wolves forward spoke to UEFA.com after the match, saying: “It is an honour to be named Player of the Match, but I feel like this was more of a team effort today, especially if you look at the whole group phase instead of just today. I want to share this with my team-mates, for sure.
“We are ecstatic that we are going through to the last eight, but I feel like we haven’t been able to show our full potential yet. We as a group can do a lot more than what we have shown these past three games. I hope in our next game we will reach our full potential.”
England will present a difficult challenge in the quarter-finals, but the Equipa das Quinas have been improving every game and there is no reason why they can’t maintain the momentum in Kutaisi, the match to be played at Ramaz Shengelia Stadium on Sunday 2 July.
By Matthew Marshall at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium
??⚽️??? FT Portugal 2-1 Belgium. Rui Jorge's side are into the quarter-finals after a thrilling victory in Tbilisi. João Neves volleyed home before Yorbe Vertessen equalised, Tiago Dantas burying a penalty in the 89th minute which sends Equipa das Quinas through. Força! #U21EURO pic.twitter.com/L4RNoeVLet
— Matthew Marshall (@noobzcorp) June 27, 2023
Line Ups
Portugal (4-3-3): Celton Biai - Zé Carlos, Alexandre Penetra, André Amaro, Nuno Tavares - João Neves (André Almeida 68’), Tiago Dantas, Samúel Costa (Paulo Bernardo 78’) - Francisco Conceição (Diego Moreira 61’), Pedro Neto, Fábio Silva (Henrique Araújo 68’)
Manager: Rui Jorge
Unused substitutes: Samuel Soares, Francisco Meixedo, Bernardo Vital, Tomás Araújo, Leonardo Lelo, Vasco Sousa, Afonso Sousa, Vítinha,
Belgium (4-2-3-1): Vandevoordt – Siquet, Debast, De Winter, De Cuyper - Vranckx, Matazo (Raskin 61’) - Ramazani (Vertessen 61’), De Ketelaere, Balikwisha - Openda
Manager: Jacky Mathijssen
Unused substitutes: Delanghe, Lammens, Pletinckx, Al-Dakhil, Patris, Van der Brempt, Keita, Engels, Deman, Descotte
Goals:
[1-0] João Neves, 56’
[1-1] Yorbe Vertessen, 65’
[2-1] Tiago Dantas, 89’ P
