Phew. Safe to say this match is delivering on its billing … a wonderful half of attacking football. Gosens has been rampaging up and down that left wing for Germany. Similarly, Bernardo Silva has looked a threat on the Portuguese right every time he’s been in possession on that same flank and created Portugal’s opening goal, via Jota, for Cristiano Ronaldo. Two own-goals have seen Germany bounce back but there is surely plenty of drama to come in this one. What a game!
Now it’s time for a lightning German counter: Gnabry storms into the penalty area and smashes a left-footed shot which is flying into the far corner! But Rui Patrício beats it out, and does well to get enough purchase on the ball to ensure that there is no danger of a goal on the follow-up.
As the clock ticks into stoppage time, Portugal win a free-kick in an advanced position on the right. Fernandes and Silva, who both look hot and knackered, stand over it. It’s bent into the penalty area but a German head clears it. Three minutes of stoppage time will be added.
Portugal come again in attack: Ronaldo threads a brilliant pass through the lines for Jota, but the Liverpool forward is just offside. Another wave of Portuguese attacking ends with a crunching tackle by Rüdiger, who celebrates it like he’s scored a goal. This is a belting game.
Phenomenal! This is being checked for offside, but the scoreboard says 2-1 … and the goal stands! It was another ball fired across the six-yard box, this time from the right, after Müller had had two goes at crossing from the other side of the penalty area. Havertz tried to get on the end of that Müller cross, and the ball flicked off the forward and beyond the goal. But it is fired back in by Kimmich, Guerreiro sticks a leg out this time, and the ball flies into the roof of the net from all of two yards out!
35 min: Goal! Portugal 1-1 Germany (Dias OG)
Germany are level! Gosens finds a ton of space on the left again, meeting a deep cross on the volley and sending the ball fizzing across the six-yard box. Havertz looks likely to score, but Dias sticks a leg out, and the ball deflects low into the far corner off the Portuguese defender.
Löw’s team have been excellent in attack and they deserve to be on the board. The ball was traveling so fast, in fact, it looks like Havertz may have struggled to touch it, so Dias could simply have left it. But he wasn’t to know that – his valiant attempt to save his team ends with the equaliser.
An exciting second half awaits
