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11 Jun, 2016 17:34

Euro 2016 football championship in France

Euro 2016 football championship in France

Top football squads from 24 nations have kicked off the battle for the European football crown in France. RT brings fans all the Euro 2016 action on the pitch and the hottest events off it.

  • 01 July 2016

    21:25 GMT

    Wales has claimed a famous victory over Belgium, winning 3-1 to secure a place in the semi-final against Portugal in Lyon next Wednesday.

    It will be the first time Wales has ever appeared in the semi-finals of a major tournament.

  • 20:45 GMT

    Wales has taken a 3-1 lead against Belgium with just five minutes left to play.

    Sam Vokes scored a glancing header from a Chris Gunter cross to put Chris Coleman’s men within minutes of a famous victory.

  • 20:16 GMT

    Wales is leading 2-1 against Belgium.

    On 55 minutes, Hal Robson-Kanu received the ball inside the Belgian penalty area with his back to goal, but turned past two defenders and placed the ball past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into the corner of the net.

  • 19:50 GMT

    Wales and Belgium are drawing 1-1 at half-time in their quarter-final match in Lille.

    Belgium took the lead in the 13th minute when Radja Nainggolan fired in a stunning strike from 25 yards out.

    But Wales captain Ashley Williams equalized with a bullet header from a corner in the 31st minute.

  • 10:43 GMT

    After last night's Euro 2016 action saw Portugal book its place in the semi-finals thanks to a penalty shootout win over Poland, tonight we'll find out who their opponents will be when Wales takes on Belgium at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille.

    It’s been dubbed as Wales’ biggest game since it played in the 1958 World Cup, while Belgium will be seeking to make its mark as the highest-ranked team in the competition.

    The two sides met in qualifying for the tournament with Wales coming out on top, winning 1-0 at home and holding Belgium to a 0-0 draw in Brussels.   

    Ahead of tonight’s clash, which kicks off at 9pm local time (19:00 GMT), Wales manager Chris Coleman said:    

    "We're not going to talk [the match] down. We're going to savor this occasion, as we have done all along. This is another huge test and it's another in a line of challenges that we've already met. It's a great position to be in. We've got to go and do all the things that have got us in this position in the first place," UEFA reported.

    Belgium manager Marc Wilmots had this to say about the game against Wales:

    "A manager is always scared of his team having an off-day… we must remain focused and not take it for granted that we will win easily. It will be a tough match, it's a different opposition this time. [Wales] are a team with pace, who play good football and a lot of them play in England.

    They are a side who defend really well and who have real talent on the counterattack. Now the stakes are different, this is no longer a qualification game for points. We are going out there with the semi-finals of the Euro as a prize – that is completely different."

    Wales can call on the talents of talisman Gareth Bale, and the Real Madrid star has provided three goals for the team so far this tournament.

    Belgium have an array of stars, but stand-out performers have included Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.

    Wales’ captain Ashley Williams has been ruled fit for the match after an injury scare with his shoulder.

    Belgian central defender Jan Vertonghen will miss out, however, having been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament after tearing ankle ligaments in training.   

  • 30 June 2016

    22:34 GMT

    Portugal beat Poland 5-3 on penalties in their Euro 2016 quarter final match, booking a spot in the semi finals. The win came after substitute Ricardo Quaresma scored the winning spot kick following Jakub Blaszczykowski's miss.

    Portugal will now wait for the winners of Wales versus Belgium match, scheduled for this Friday night to find out their semi-final opponents on July 6.

  • 20:58 GMT

    The Euro 2016 quarterfinal match between Poland and Portugal has gone into overtime, with the teams being level a 1-1 after 90 minutes of play.

  • 20:05 GMT

    The first half of the Euro 2016 quarterfinal match between Poland and Portugal has concluded with a 1-1 score.

    The Poles wasted no time, going in front in the 2nd minute of play, with the team’s biggest star, Robert Lewandowski, scoring confidently from inside the box, 1-0.

    Portugal equalized half an hour later as a deflection helped 18-year-old talent, Renato Sanches, beat Polish keeper, Lukasz Fabianski, 1-1.

  • 17:45 GMT

    As kick-off approaches in the Poland-Portugal quarter-final, UEFA has shared a video of fans soaking up the atmosphere in Marseille.

  • 11:59 GMT

    The first Euro 2016 quarter-final action takes place this evening, when Poland takes on Portugal at 9pm local time (19:00 GMT) at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille.  

    Poland reached the last eight by defeating Switzerland 5-4 on penalties after their game finished 1-1.

    Portugal overcame Croatia 1-0 in their clash, when Ricardo Quaresma scored deep into extra time.

    Here are some of the key stats to note ahead of this evening's match.

    Portugal has a slightly better record in the last 10 encounters between the two countries, winning four games, drawing three and losing three.

    The two most recent games between the nations have ended in draws – 2-2 in Lisbon during qualifying for Euro 2008, and 0-0 in a friendly in Warsaw in 2012.  

    Poland is appearing in the last eight stage at a European Championship for the first time.

    Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored 13 goals in qualifying, but is yet to score at this year’s finals.

    Portugal has drawn all its matches during regular time at this year’s tournament.   

    However, the Portuguese have a strong record of progressing far at European Championships – in the last six tournaments they have finished as semi-finalists three times, quarter-finalists twice, and runners-up (in 2004).  

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