LISBON: Portugal beat Denmark 5-3 on aggregate to reach the Nations League semifinals on Sunday, winning a pulsating second leg 5-2 after extra time.
Portugal will face Finals hosts Germany in June in the last four after overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to brave Denmark.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty but later scored a crucial goal, before Francisco Trincao’s late double set Roberto Martinez’s men on course for the semis.
Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel stared down Ronaldo’s stuttering run-up to save a fluffed spot-kick on six minutes, diving left and comfortably holding the ball.
But Portugal eventually pushed the tie to extra time at 3-2 on the night, despite Denmark twice edging ahead on aggregate.
Portugal first drew level on aggregate when Joachim Andersen’s panicked clearance looped horribly into his own goal in the 38th minute.
But, unmarked at a corner, Rasmus Kristensen’s cool header put Denmark back in front overall on 56 minutes.
Ronaldo redeemed himself for his penalty error, pouncing on a rebound to score with 18 minutes left, only for Christian Eriksen to then silence the home crowd by tapping into an open goal four minutes later.
Playing in his home Sporting Lisbon stadium, substitute winger Trincao then sent the game to extra time with a late, left-footed strike.
Shortly after the restart, he threaded his second goal through a sea of players to put Portugal in the driving seat.
Trincao was then involved in the build-up for Goncalo Ramos’s clincher in a full-blooded encounter.
Denmark arrived with a first-leg lead from Thursday and departed with their heads held high after their stoic resistance, along with Portugal’s unrelenting attack, ensured a battle that swung either way several times.
Winners of the inaugural tournament in 2019, Portugal are aiming to become the first team to lift the Nations League trophy for a second time.
Portugal beat Denmark in thrilling Nations League quarter-final
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Portugal beat Denmark in thrilling Nations League quarter-final
- Portugal will face Finals hosts Germany in June in the last four after overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to brave Denmark
Record prize of up to $200k for a 9-darter at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters
- Players who complete a perfect leg will receive $100,000, with the chance to double it by hitting the bullseye with a bonus 10th dart
- 8 Professional Darts Corporation stars will take on 8 of Asia’s top players in the tournament on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Global Theater in Boulevard City
RIYADH: Players at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in Riyadh next week have a chance to win a record-breaking cash prize for a nine-dart finish, with up to $200,000 up for grabs for a perfect leg.
Eight Professional Darts Corporation stars will take on eight of Asia’s leading players at the tournament, which is part of Riyadh Season, on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Global Theater in Boulevard City.
Turki Alalshikh, chairperson of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, revealed on Thursday that any player who hits a perfect nine-darter during the event will receive a $100,000 bonus, with the chance to double it through the Riyadh Season Bullseye Challenge.
With the leg already won, the player will throw a 10th dart, and if it hits the bullseye the prize will be doubled to $200,000, the biggest amount ever offered by a PDC-sanctioned event for a nine-darter.
Reigning world champion Luke Littler, who will head the line-up in Riyadh, previously hit a nine-darter on the World Series of Darts stage at the Bahrain Masters in 2024.
He will be joined by 2023/24 world champion Luke Humphries, world championship runner-up Gian van Veen, and three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen.
The PDC contingent also includes former world champion Gerwyn Price, world No. 7 Stephen Bunting, former UK Open winner Danny Noppert, and 2023 World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall.
Asia will be represented by Singapore veteran Paul Lim, who in 1990 famously threw the first televised World Darts Championship nine-darter, alongside Filipinos Alexis Toylo, Lourence Ilagan and Paolo Nebrida, Japan’s Motomu Sakai, Ryusei Azemoto and Tomoya Goto, and Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung.
