Euro 2016 Final Live Commentary: Portugal vs France



Good evening and welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France.


The host nation are looking to pick up their third major honour on home soil this evening having overcome world champions Germany to reach the final.

Portugal, meanwhile, are bidding for their first ever major trophy having ended Wales's run in the semi-finals.

Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

PORTUGAL STARTING XI: Rui Patricio; Cedric, Fonte, Pepe, Guerreiro; Sanches, W Carvalho, Adrien Silva, Joao Mario; Ronaldo, Nani

FRANCE STARTING XI: Lloris; Sagna, Koscielny, Umtiti, Evra; Matuidi, Pogba; Sissoko, Griezmann, Payet; Giroud











Thank you for joining our coverage of the tournament. Until next time!


What a performance that was from Portugal! Not too many people would have given them a chance when Ronaldo was taken off early in the first half, but Santos has been insisting that they are not a one-man team and they proved that today. It was a heroic team performance, and Eder ultimately got the winner to hand Portugal their maiden international crown.


120+2 min ET PORTUGAL WIN EURO 2016!!!



120+2 min ET FULL TIME: Portugal 1-0 France

120+1 min ET France have two minutes of added time to salvage themselves here!

119 min ET Portugal have the ball at the right end of the field as far as they are concerned. They have done exactly what they need to do since taking the lead here.

117 min ET Portugal are just three minutes away from shedding that tag of Euros nearly-men and stunning hosts France here. Ronaldo is pacing the touchline like he is the manager right now.

115 min ET YELLOW CARD! Pogba is the latest player in the book for a trip on Joao Mario.

 France are laying siege to the Portugal goal right now, but the visitors have been so stubborn at the back. They have defended very well indeed.

111 min ET FRANCE SUB: Deschamps responds to that goal by finally using his last sub, bringing Anthony Martial on for Sissoko.

109 min ET The deadlock is finally broken! Eder, a flop at Swansea last season, may have just made himself a national hero with a brilliant goal that could well be the winner. He shrugs off one challenge on his way inside before firing a low strike right into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

109 min ET GOAL! Portugal 1-0 France (Eder)

108 min ET OFF THE BAR! Portugal are inches from finding the breakthrough from the free kick as Guerreiro steps up to it and curls a fine effort over the wall. It dips just in time, but rattles the crossbar with Lloris worried.

107 min ET YELLOW CARD! Koscielny goes into the book for a handball, although the replays show that it actually hit the hand of Eder. That gives Portugal a free kick in a very good position...

106 min ET KICKOFF: We're back underway for the second half of extra time!

Half time in extra time, then, and still no goals in this one. We have just 15 minutes remaining as Deschamps and Ronaldo give their final pep talks, otherwise we'll have a penalty shootout.


105 min ET HALF TIME IN EXTRA TIME: Portugal 0-0 France

104 min ET CHANCE! Almost the breakthrough for Portugal. They win a corner which Quaresma swings into the box, and Eder towers above everyone else to plant a downward header towards goal. It is close to Lloris, but he pushes it back out into a dangerous area before the danger is cleared.

102 min ET There are, understandably, a few tired legs on the pitch at the moment as we head towards half time in extra time.

100 min ET France are starting to ramp up the pressure a little bit now, keeping Portugal penned back in their own half. Portugal have resisted everything so far, though.

98 min ET YELLOW CARD! ...and he is swiftly joined by William Carvalho for a cynical challenge on Coman, who was in full flight.

97 min ET YELLOW CARD! Matuidi is the latest player in the book for a challenge on Eder, but he can feel a little hard done by there.

95 min ET Hearts-in-mouth moment for the French fans as Pepe rises to plant a header just wide from Quaresma's free kick. The linesman's flag is raised anyway, though.

93 min ET Portugal have controlled most of the possession so far in extra time, which is of course preventing France from getting any sort of momentum going. They are doing a bit of a spoiling job here.

90+1 min ET KICKOFF: We're back underway at the Stade de France for the additional period! Ronaldo emerged from the tunnel during the interval and was giving his side a few pep talks.

Extra time it is, then! It hasn't been the best final by any stretch of the imagination, but it has had its moments and we now have an additional 30 minutes to find a winner. Will either side be able to break the deadlock or are we set for penalties?


90+3 min END OF 90 MINUTES: Portugal 0-0 France

90+2 min OFF THE POST! Gignac is inches away from doing just that! The ball breaks to the sub inside the area and he twists into a shooting position, but he rather scuffs his finish and it bounces against the post and the rebound just eludes Griezmann.

90 min There will be three additional minutes at the end of the 90 here. Can anyone make themselves a hero in the dying embers of this one?

88 min Neither side are exactly throwing the kitchen sink at their opponents right now. They look content enough with extra time and aren't willing to take any risks to go and win the game.

86 min As things stand, we're heading for an additional 30 minutes here and there haven't really been any signs that any side will prevent that from being the case.

84 min SAVE! If anyone deserves to be a match-winner today then it is Sissoko, and he almost does it in spectacular fashion here. He picks the ball up in a bit of space and unleashes a hammer of a shot that Patricio parries away.

82 min SHOT! Good spell of possession from Portugal as they work the ball upfield and into shooting range. Nani is the man to let fly, but his effort flies off target.

81 min YELLOW CARD! Umtiti is the first French player in the book for a foul on Eder.

80 min SAVES! It may take something unorthodox to break the deadlock here, and Nani has very nearly provided it. His mis-hit cross almost catches Lloris out and he flaps it back out into a dangerous area. Quaresma is there and goes for an acrobatic scissor kick, but Lloris recovers in time to make another save.

79 min PORTUGAL SUB: Portugal also make a change, and it is an attacking one as Eder replaces Sanches.

78 min FRANCE SUB: Another change for the hosts as Giroud makes way to be replaced by Andre-Pierre Gignac.

77 min France's attack has looked so fluid for much of this tournament, but they are getting in each other's way now. Griezmann is about to pull the trigger, but Giroud takes it off his toe and Portugal are able to clear

75 min SAVE! Almost the opener for France, and it is no surprise that Coman is again involved. He finds Giroud, who gets into space and goes for goal, but Rui Patricio makes a low stop to deny the striker.

74 min Just over 15 minutes remain in this one now, and unless something happens in the closing stages this may well go down as one of the worst finals ever.

72 min Coman is looking like the one player capable of injecting a bit of pace into the attack, and he breaks into the box again here. He is forced out wide but still manages to get a cross in, although there isn't a blue shirt in sight to get on the end of it.

71 min Another attack breaks down for Portugal as Quaresma looks for a runner that isn't there. Portugal still haven't had a shot on target and they look like they will be fairly content taking this all the way to extra time.

69 min How big could that Griezmann miss prove to be? This is a game of very few chances, so when one like that pops up you really have to take it. France wouldn't have wanted it to fall to anyone else either.

67 min Coman is at least trying to make a difference here, but he won't want to see this effort again. He lets fly from range, but skews his powerful strike a long, long way wide of the target.

67 min PORTUGAL SUB: Portugal make their second change of the evening as Joao Moutinho replaces Adrien Silva.

66 min CHANCE! Huge chance for France to break the deadlock! Griezmann is good in the air for his height, but he really should do better here. Coman swings a beauty of a cross into the middle and Griezmann escapes the attention of his marker, but he steers his header off target when you would have backed him to score.

64 min A rendition of La Marseillaise rings around the stadium as the fans try to inject a bit of life into the team, but in truth it is all surprisingly flat both on and off the field at the moment.

62 min YELLOW CARD! Joao Mario becomes the second name in Mark Clattenburg's notebook tonight for a cynical trip on Giroud. No complaints there.

60 min Neither of these sides have really gone for this one today, which has been the story of the tournament in many ways. Both look more afraid to lose than desperate to go for the win.

58 min SAVE! A rare moment of action for either keeper as Coman makes an immediate impact, sliding a pass down the left channel for Griezmann. The striker doesn't catch his shot, though, and in the end it is an easy one for Rui Patricio.

58 min FRANCE SUB: The hosts make their first change of the night, and it is West Ham's Dimitri Payet who makes way. On comes Kingsley Coman in his place.

56 min There is just no way through for either side at the moment. It is very much a tense, tight affair here.

54 min SHOT! Pogba looks to sprinkle a bit of stardust on this game as the ball drops to him a long way from goal. He goes for a half-volley, but it flies a long way over.

52 min More good play from Sissoko as he gets forward yet again before seeing his cross turned away by Pepe. Sissoko has just been so positive on the ball today.

50 min Brilliant defending from Pepe as he steps out of defence to stop Payet in his tracks. The France playmaker had danced past a couple of challenges on the edge of the box, but Pepe ensured that he would go no further.

48 min It's been an even start to the second half, with both sides seeing a bit of the ball without making any real progress. This is a stalemate at the moment and we could really do with a goal to liven things up a bit.



The first half comes to an end at the Stade de France, and in truth it hasn't exactly been a thriller so far. It was a fairly lively start to the match, but since then it has tailed off a little and both sides are cancelling each other out at the moment.


45+2 min HALF TIME: Portugal 0-0 France

45 min There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half, although a head clash between Evra and Quaresma may extend that further still.

42 min Just a few minutes remain before half time now, and the big story of the opening 45 minutes has been that injury to Ronaldo. France have had a couple of decent openings, but since around the 10th minute clear chances have been few and far between.

40 min At the other end Payet lifts an early cross into the box towards Giroud, but the striker is under big pressure and can't test the keeper with his header.

39 min CHANCE! Half a chance from the resulting corner as Fonte climbs highest in the area and gets a clean connection on his header, but he puts it over the top when he perhaps should have done a bit better.

38 min Good move from Portugal as they come sweeping forward with numbers. Adrien Silva gets the ball in a bit of space on the edge of the box, but he can't get the ball out of his feet and the attack eventually breaks down when Guerreiro drags a shot well wide.


37 min It is actually the Portugal fans who have been making much of the noise throughout this one. The French fans are a little nervous, perhaps?

35 min YELLOW CARD! The first card of the night goes to Cedric, who caught Payet with a high challenge when going up for a header. A little revenge for Ronaldo there?

34 min CHANCE! Just as I say that, Sissoko does really well again to spin away from his marker inside the box before firing an effort towards goal that Rui Patricio parries away.

32 min France have gone off the boil a little since that bright start in the opening 10 minutes. They are still enjoying more of the ball, but they are finding it harder to break Portugal down now.

30 min One player who does look like making things happen is Sissoko. He makes another brilliant run down the right flank to win his side a corner, and Portugal just don't seem to be able to deal with him at the moment.

29 min That Ronaldo injury saga has just taken a bit of the sting out of this game. There is a strangely subdued atmosphere inside the Stade de France, while on the pitch there isn't too much to shout about in terms of chances.

27 min Quaresma and Cedric link up down the right flank before the latter stands a cross up to the back post, but Joao Mario can't get a clean connection on his header and it is easy for Lloris to scoop up.

25 min PORTUGAL SUB: Indeed, there is the change as Ronaldo is replaced by Ricardo Quaresma. So sad to see his night end like that.

25 min Well, he's tried to carry on, but he won't be able to. Ronaldo goes down again and is in tears as he gets stretchered off the field

23 min Half a chance for Adrien Silva as the ball breaks to him on the edge of the box, but he doesn't connect with his effort well and he slices it wide.

22 min SHOT! Sissoko has started this match really brightly, and he goes on another powerful run forward right up the middle of the pitch before lashing an effort over the crossbar.

21 min Indeed, Ronaldo trots back onto field and he is going to try to carry on. It looks like a risk, but it is one worth taking in the biggest game of his life and, from a neutral point of view, it is good to see him back out there.

20 min Portugal are, understandably, trying everything in their power to get Ronaldo fixed up on the sidelines. He looked like he was definitely coming off when he went down and starting crying, but he may try to continue after all.

18 min Ronaldo looks like he may have come off here. He has not recovered from that Payet challenge and he has just gone down off the ball. He is in tears on the pitch and it doesn't look like he will be able to continue.

16 min Better from Portugal in the last few minutes here. They have seen a bit more of the ball and, most importantly, have stopped France from getting through as easily as they were a little earlier.

14 min Ronaldo has not been involved at all in this opening quarter of an hour or so, with the exception of being on the end of that challenge from Payet. He still isn't moving entirely freely after that one.

12 min Well, it has been France's match so far. They have started brightly, seeing more of the ball and looking capable of scoring. Portugal haven't helped themselves by making a few defensive errors, though.

10 min CHANCE! Another chance for the hosts from the resulting corner as Giroud climbs highest in the middle to plant a firm downward header towards goal. It is straight at the keeper, though.

10 min CHANCE! Rui Patricio is called into action for the first time tonight, and it is a vital save from the keeper too. Pepe slip gives Griezmann a bit of space in the middle and he tries to lift his header over the keeper from the edge of the box. Patricio is able to tip it over the crossbar, though.

9 min Concern for Portugal here as Payet clatters into Ronaldo, leaving the skipper in a writhing heap on the floor. He looks in genuine pain, but should be able to continue.

7 min CHANCE! France have their first good opening as Portugal fail to clear the danger despite having a couple of chances. The ball is played down the left side of the area for Griezmann, but again his effort is sliced and flies wide of the near post.

6 min Shooting chance for France now as the ball drops to Pogba on the edge of the area, but he lashes at it and slices an effort a long way over the crossbar.

5 min CHANCE! An early half-chance for Portugal as Nani races on to a ball over the top. He takes it down, but then tries to lift his effort over the keeper and puts too much on it, putting it over the crossbar.

3 min As expected, the atmosphere inside the Stade de France is electric at the moment. The French fans are trying to shout their side to victory here, and the players must be spurred on by it.

1 min KICKOFF: Here we go then! Portugal get us underway under the instructions of referee Mark Clattenburg, and the final of Euro 2016 has begun!

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