Yahoo News Portugal 0 Chile 0 (Chile win 3-0 on pens): Claudio Bravo the hero as he saves three penalties in shootout to reach Confederations Cup final
AET: Portugal 0 - 0 Chile
Chile win 3-0 on penalties!
Chile had Claudio Bravo to thank as he saved all three of Portugal's abysmal penalties in the shootout to send Juan Antonio Pizzi's men through to the final of the Confederations Cup.
Fernando Santos had brought all three of those to miss - Ricardo Quaresma, Joao Moutinho and Nani - on as substitutes with penalties in mind but they were so predictable and poor that Cristiano Ronaldo didn't even get a chance from the spot.
The Real Madrid striker trudged off down the tunnel while the Chileans celebrated and Portugal heads dropped; a different picture from the adulation enjoyed this time last summer when Santos and Ronaldo masterminded victory in France.
A tired Chile had had to withstand constant attacks from Portugal, who just couldn't quite find a way past Bravo or his defence over 120 minutes, with wasteful shooting, predictable crosses and fatigue resulting in a frustrating finish for the European champions.
Chile might have wrapped up the game even earlier, but were denied a last-minute extra-time goal when Arturo Vidal - the clear Man of the Match - smashed a shot across the goal and hit the post, with Martin Rodriguez stabbing the rebound onto the crossbar.
It wouldn't have been a 2017 Confederations Cup match without VAR controversy and the referee team duly delivered. Francisco Silva, a late substitute, was threaded-through on goal as Jose Fonte, the West Ham defender came across to block his path. The defender made contact, the forward fell to the floor, the referee waved play on.
Within seconds the replay on our TV screens showed a penalty should have been given. "Was it arrogance?" asked ITV pundit, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, as the post-match analysis tore into the officials' decision not to make use of that available technology. Thankfully, this time it didn't matter in the end.
Portugal had started the game well but a sub-par Andre Gomes (is there any other kind these days?) wasted multiple shots from distance and Ronaldo couldn't quite get on the end of crosses, nor find himself in space where it mattered. His strike partner, AC Milan's Andre Silva, wasn't quite at the top of his game either but caused problems when the ball was delivered from wide areas. A promising talent not quite realised.
Vidal snapped and snarled in midfield, Alexis Sanchez worked hard off the ball and the goalkeeper commanded his box. Over the 120 minutes, it felt like one moment of magic would decide this game, which was actually far more open than the scoreline suggested.
Both teams had chances. Portugal had more, Chile had better. As the clock counted down, you felt for all the world that one of those superstar forwards, the focus of the pre-match build-up, the stars of the Premier League and La Liga, would step up and take charge. Sanchez hit the post with a header, Ronaldo couldn't bring the rest up to his level.
Nothing worked and the game ground slowly to a halt... until the frantic last few moments when Chile hit the woodwork twice in succession. VAR had made no difference, the celebrity soccer stars couldn't influence the result on the pitch and neither team could make the breakthrough. Penalties.
Chile won the toss, Vidal scored the first penalty. The pressure mounted on Portugal. Up stepped a nervous Quaresma to take on Bravo, the heavily criticised Man City cross-flapper. Quaresma struck his shot head height, left, and just like Nathan Redmond's similarly ill-placed shot in England U21s defeat to Germany the other night, the goalkeeper found it all too easy to stop. A well anticipated save.
Aranguiz scored. Moutinho walked to the spot, took his run up and put his penalty in almost exactly the same place as Quaresma. He watched Bravo deny a second goal.
Sanchez, peripheral for the most of the game was next but made no mistake, coolly slotting into the bottom corner. Nani had to score to keep Portugal in it. Bravo waited in position until he knew where the ball would go. He knew. Bottom right.
Portugal were out, Chile went through. Bravo may just have saved his season.
Claudio Bravo is the hero!
Three great saves, three terrible Portugal penalties. Nani's was the worst. He did a little stutter run up, broadcast exactly where he was going to place it and Bravo dived to push it away to his left, out of the bottom corner.
NANI MISSES!!! CHILE ARE THROUGH TO THE FINAL!
That was an awful penalty. Oh god it was bad.
SANCHEZ SCORES! Portugal 0 - 3 Chile
Never in doubt. He steps up, waits for the goalkeeper to move and fires it bottom left. Great penalty. Nani next... which means... no Ronaldo?
MOUTINHO MISSES! Portugal 0 - 2 Chile
Another great save from Bravo! It's been placed in exactly the same position by Moutinho and he's easily able to push it away! Sanchez is up next...
ARANGUIZ SCORES! Portugal 0 - 2 Chile
Slightly left of middle, low and hard. Goal!
QUARESMA MISSES! Portugal 0 - 1 Chile
Great save from Bravo! He reads Quaresma's strike, which is basically a slightly harder hit version of Nathan Redmond's from the England U21s game the other day and the goalie pushes it away. Replays show he takes a step forward first so technically that should be retaken.
VIDAL SCORES! Portugal 0 - 1 Chile
Chile have the advantage because they're going first... and Vidal smashes the ball into the top left. Great penalty!
More on VAR
Only the referee can initiate a review but the other officials can recommend it, apparently.
The ITV pundits are getting very annoyed about the whole thing.
VAR explained
Reminder that with VAR, it's not enough to suspect the ref has got it wrong. Has to be irrefutable. Otherwise the on pitch decision stands.
— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) June 28, 2017
"Why are they not advising the referee?". Then go on to mention VAR refs' nationalities. Out of order, ITV.
— Philippe Auclair (@PhilippeAuclair) June 28, 2017
END OF EXTRA TIME
That's it! We are now at the lottery of the penalty shootout. Chile are so unlucky not to have won this in the last minute of the game - they must be absolutely gutted!
ET 119 mins
Neither team wants to risk losing this one now. It's definitely penalties, isn't it?
OR IS IT?! WOW! ACTION! WHAT IS HAPPENING!?
Vidal hits the post with a brilliant first time shot, slicing it beyond the keeper and it rebounds to Rodriguez, who has an open net! He doesn't get enough on it and the ball hits the cross bar! What a finish! Portugal on the ropes, dizzy.
Sanchez shoots! Deflected for a corner. Where has this Chile been all night?!
ET 116 mins
Cedric takes one for the team, stopping a Chile attack before it even starts with a cynical foul.
Vidal has gone down screaming, slapping the ground and acting as though he may have to be put down a vet. Let's hope it's not that severe. He seems to want to get Andre Gomes in trouble... and the replay shows that Gomes' tackle was not a nice one. On the inside of Vidal's ankle and weight put on it.
ET 114 mins
CONTROVERSY! Francisco Silva goes flying through on goal as space opens up in front of him and only has the goalie to beat. Fonte comes across to stop him and stands on his foot - he knows it's a foul, as the grimace he pulls suggests - and Silva goes down. The referee says no way. At first glance that looks the right decision but one replay shows that it should have been a penalty. Why has nobody reviewed the decision?! Isn't that what VAR is there for?
ET 111 mins
Bruno Alves leads with his elbow for a header and earns a yellow card as a result, having struck Hernandez in the back of the head. He's absolutely fine.
Aranguiz tries to get the ball in from wide but it's blocked... aaaaaaaaaaaand that's a Portugal throw-in now.
Chile bring Silva on for Hernandez, Portugal had already put Moutinho on for Adrien Silva at the start of the half.
ET 108 mins
Quaresma is annoyed at Cedric for a tired pass which goes straight out of play. This is what happens with fatigue - the legs don't do what the brain wants them to.
KICK-OFF 4
We have 15 minutes until penalties. Portugal still on the attack.
HALF TIME EXTRA TIME
Still no goals. NONE! Portugal are the most likely to grab one.
ET 105 mins
Portugal build up play down the right, Nani flicks it through for Adrien Silva to cross into the middle but Ronaldo still can't reach it. Andre Gomes takes it down and tries to shoot but is blocked out of it by the scrambling Chile defence.
ET 103 mins
Chile still haven't made any more substitutions. They've made one out of a possible four. No wonder they all look so tired!
ET 101 mins
Vidal gets a header on target as he bravely attacks a cross next to Fonte's leg but it's straight at the goalkeeper again.
ET 99 mins
Portugal win a corner, Quaresma comes across to take it. The centre-backs are in the area... Fonte attacks the ball but it's cleared away. Vidal dives in aggressively on Ronaldo and wins the slide tackle.
Bravo flaps the next corner away and Alves has his attempted cross blocked. Goal kick to Chile.
ET 96 mins
Even the crowd sounds pretty tired now.
BUT NOW THEY'RE LOUD! Isla has space on the right, he moves forward and crosses it into the box for Sanchez. He leaps highest and heads at goal but the ball spins just wide of the far post. Sanchez is about the only player with energy left.
Fonte is injured for catching Sanchez in the face while competing for the ball.
ET 93 mins
Andre Gomes celebrates the start of extra time by hitting another awful shot at goal. Bravo has "one of those moments" as Quaresma hits a cross into the box on the outside of his boot.
Are those the chances that Hasselbaink was on about? Will Andre Gomes ever learn how to shoot from distance again?
KICK-OFF 3
"In extra-time you will get a chance... it is about waiting for that chance," says Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink.
END OF 90 MINUTES
I JUST WANT A GOAL!
90 mins +3
Nothing's going to happen here is it? Both teams look absolutely knackered, both are defending well and making sure they don't make mistakes... and that's the end of 90 minutes.
90 mins
Cedric gets forward and bursts past his man down the right, looks up and curls a ball deep towards the back post but it goes straight out of play.
Chile play out from the back until Bravo decides that's not a good idea and launches it. Portugal win the throw.
87 mins
Vargas off, Martin Rodriguez on. Sanchez gets the ball to him straight away with another clever through-pass but once again, Alves is big and strong enough to knock a Chile player off the ball easily.
85 mins
Gomes uses his arm to control the ball while running into the box and a promising chance turns into a free-kick for Chile.
Chile don't seem to really know how to construct their play at the moment. They win it and instantly look long for Sanchez on the left but he's not going to win headers against Fonte and Alves, both of which are massive.
Portugal come forward, Ronaldo takes position in the box and the cross is hit early... headed wide.
82 mins
The play has slowed down now, Chile look tired and aren't working awfully hard to win the ball back. They're defending with a back four and a midfield two just in front of them and take their time when they finally win the ball back. Portugal are getting ready to bring on Quaresma for the final part of the game.
79 mins
Sanchez is on the ball! He controls well, faces up to the right-back... and passes it sideways. It looks like Ronaldo is now the only striker in a 4-5-1, with Nani playing close to him but not as central as Andre Silva was.
76 mins
Andre Silva wins another corner. This game is just a series of crosses that don't lead to anything.
Vidal sprints into a tackle on the wing and powers through the ball, taking it out for a throw. He turns to the crowd and yells "VAMOS!", getting them going.
Here comes Nani! On for Andre Silva, who is a second yellow card waiting to happen.
73 mins
Portugal counter-attack and catch Chile light at the back! There are four Portugal forwards here, Ronaldo takes charge, shoots... it deflects just high and wide of the top corner. Corner.
Fonte attacks the corner but Chile get it clear and Sanchez is muscled out of the header.
70 mins
Vargas tries shooting from 30 yards... nowhere close. We've still hardly seen anything of Alexis Sanchez tonight!
69 mins
Portugal have a corner. It's played short, backwards, then launched into the box and cleared. The crosses from wide aren't really working at the moment.
66 mins
Oohhhhh danger for Chile! They've given away a free-kick in "Ronaldo Territory", which is one of the worst sections of Universal Studios and a bit on the pitch that he never actually scores from.
Ronaldo stands over the free-kick, 35 yards from goal or so. The stance. The exhale. The run-up....
And obviously it goes over the bar.
63 mins
I've realised I've forgotten to mention an absolutely brilliant save from Rui Patricio from the last few minutes. I blame doing 100 things at once, but anyway, Portugal don't deal with a cross into the box and a Chile player spins and slams a volley at goal which Patricio dives to turn just past his post.
It's opening up here. Vidal has a shot from long range but puts it over the bar, Portugal put the ball in the box and want a penalty for handball - end to end stuff!
60 mins
RONALDO! He stings the palms of Bravo as the space opens up in the box. Ronaldo looks like he's going to cut onto his right foot but doesn't, stays left and hits a powerful strike at the goal, which the keeper can stop relatively easily. I sense a goal here somewhere.
57 mins
Portugal win a free-kick as Aranguiz is adjudged to have handled the ball... which definitely didn't happen... but they play on, swing a cross into the box and Silva attacks it! He misses the ball and gets clattered in the box, play continues and Bernardo Silva darts into the box and is nearly wiped out by a high tackle - no foul - and the ball is cleared. The referee stops play for a minute as Andre Silva hurt his head in that collision.
Aaaaaand he's OK!
54 mins
Portugal win a free-kick on the right, Bernardo Silva takes it... but it's a disguised pass inside to Andre Gomes! From a central position he chips into the box but Bruno Alves' touch is awful and the ball goes out for a goal kick. That's a waste.
Chile come forward down the left, it's an early ball crossed into the box and Vidal is there! He gets across his man and "tries to be too clever!" (Glenn Hoddle (c)), but puts his header over the bar.
51 mins
Andre Gomes gets into space in the final third, just as he did in the first half and once again gets nothing on his shot, dragging it well wide of goal. He looked so good at Euro 2016 but since that move to Barcelona just hasn't been anywhere near his best.
48 mins
Neither team has made any obvious changes during the break. Portugal start on the attack, Chile absorb the pressure and then take their turn to get forward.
KICK-OFF 2
We're back! The players congregate in the tunnel for a while before running back out onto the pitch. Portugal start the second half.
HALF TIME
Great game so far. It should probably be 1-1 but 0-0 will do for now!
44 mins
Andre Silva looks like he's being wrestled to the floor just outside the six yard area as he jumps for the ball - no foul - and gets up to backheel the ball across goal. Nobody reads it - they all seem surprised play continues - and the referee comes across to book him for dissent. He's very angry... and replays show that he's also offside.
Silva heads over from the corner he wins.
42 mins
Chile win a free-kick 30 yards from goal on the right and the referee seems to make Ronaldo be aware that he is in fact the referee, something that Ronaldo probably has to put up with a lot. Aranguiz takes the free-kick but gets it wrong and the ball is easily cleared, the defenders have to run back into position. What a disappointment.
39 mins
Vargas mis-controls the ball off his shin and gifts possession back to Portugal. Both teams are being pretty careful not to over commit or do anything stupid as we get closer to half time.
36 mins
Sanchez nearly gets onto the ball inside the area but a last ditch tackle pushes the ball onto him and out for a goal kick.
Ronaldo has moved over to the right for now... Cedric overlaps on the right, puts in a great cross and Andre Gomes half-heartedly attacks the header. If that had been Ronaldo the ball - or man - was being punted towards goal in that situation. That's the problem with Andre Gomes - he's very talented but never seems particularly committed or desperate to win 50/50s. It's not that you have to be aggressive to be good, just that he's always on the outskirts of the action and never truly involved, from the games I've seen him play.
33 mins
32 mins
We've not seen much of Alexis Sanchez so far tonight. He's not really been able to get on the ball but does now, has space on the left and swings a cross into the middle. Vidal goes for a spectacular overhead kick and scuffs the shot, taking the ball off the head of Vargas, who could well have put that past the goalkeeper.
Carvalho is booked for a foul on Vidal.
29 mins
Ronaldo has a two on two moment and very briefly it seems like something could happen... but Isla gets back to win the ball and bring the striker down. Play continues but Portugal are closed out and have to go backwards.
Vidal drops deep, plays a great long ball out to the right towards Isla and he spots Aranguiz making a run into the box, swings a curling cross ahead of him and the Chilean heads at goal. Just high and wide of the far post - that would have been a great goal.
26 mins
Andre Silva is fine to continue. Bravo has another goal kick to knock up the pitch... and puts it straight out for a throw-in. He's looking for Vidal but hasn't quite got his sights sorted yet.
23 mins
"Goalless, but it shouldn't," says Clive Tyldesley. I wonder if he still speaks to Andy Townsend. I wonder how awkward it is when he and Glenn Hoddle are out wandering around the city and they bump into Andy, who's just on his own. "How's it going?", asks Clive. "Oh, great. Yeh, yeh really busy. If anything, Clive, it's going too well."
But you know it's not.
Bernardo Silva is some player, by the way. Chile don't seem to be able to work out how to tackle him as Portugal attack down the right. Adrien Silva shoots from distance but Bravo saves his shot easily.
The referee has booked Jara for a foul on Andre Silva (not the same man) in the buildup.
20 mins
18 mins
Eliseu, the left-back, does well to read a forward pass and shields it before clearing for a throw-in. Chile attack down the right, the same wing that Ronaldo and Andre Gomes almost certainly won't be defending on tonight, but are shut out. Goal kick.
15 mins
Ronaldo has been excellent so far and is scaring Chile out on that left. He jinks past Jara - nearly winning a penalty - with a quick, last-minute turn and puts in two decent crosses that nobody can get their heads on.
Silva holds the ball up well as Ronaldo fires it into his feet, Chile are pressing the ball in the middle of the pitch and Portugal are finding it a little easy to get the ball into Ronaldo on the left. Vidal barges into the back of Ronaldo to head away... but there's no foul. Rightly so, too.
12 mins
There's a bit of argie-bargie to deal with as Vidal gets shirty with Bruno Alves. Perhaps he's jealous that he hasn't yet been invited to play in Scotland yet har dee har har har har. There's a good feel to this game already - end to end, a bit of bite.
Ronaldo tries some little tricks on the left but Eliseu gives it away. The referee loves blowing his whistle - not in terms of awarding fouls, but as in when he blows it he blows it a lot of times to get the attention of whoever he's trying to tell off.
9 mins
What a save by Bravo! What a save!
Ronaldo finds space on the left, the defence don't close him down and he puts the ball across the box, teasing it into Andre Silva's path. He should score but the goalkeeper blocks superbly.
From the resulting corner, Andre Gomes puts his shot well over the bar.
7 mins
VARGAAAAAAAS! Chile should be 1-0 up. What a ball from Alexis Sanchez who turns on the spot, knows Vargas is running and threads him through with a reverse pass. Patricio comes off his line and closes the shot down. The silver lining for Vargas, who should have got his shot away earlier, is that he was definitely offside. VAR would have ruined that one.
5 mins
Andre Silva waits for the foul and gets his free-kick close to the corner flag. Ronaldo prowls the area.
It's taken left-footed, out-swinging... but nobody can get on it. The ball comes back in, Ronaldo jumps and can't get enough on his header. He was crowded out of it too.
3 mins
Portugal are pressing Chile high up the pitch, Claudio Bravo is doing his best not to do anything stupid with the ball... and kicks it long. Chile keep possession until Portugal win it back. Bernardo Silva is out on the right wing and tricks his way past two players into space. Andre Gomes comes forward... shoots... saved. There wasn't quite enough on that one.
KICK-OFF
Here we go! How exciting. It's like pretending there's a World Cup on or something.
The national anthems are out of the way
Lots of passion from all. That's what we like to see. And now it's time for this:
Here come the players
They're taking this very seriously over in Russia. They've got centre-circle banners, the ball is on a little plinth thing as they enter the pitch - it's a big old affair. Kick-off is coming right up, at about 9pm local time.
Best players in world football
Ronaldo and Sanchez are undoubtedly two of the best players in the world today but who could be next to take centre stage? Here are 50 players that very well could.
Arturo Vidal's role tonight
Arturo Vidal has a lot more license to get forward for Chile than he does Bayern Munich, often getting himself in goal scoring positions as the forwards split and move into channels. In other news, Lee Dixon is wearing glasses:
Players out warming up
What to expect
What to expect:
Chile to pressure high, Portugal CB's (poor in possession) and LB forced into constant long balls looking for André S. & CR.— Tiago Estêvão (@TiagoEstv) June 28, 2017
That more or less sums up Portugal's play.
The stars on show
Now, you may think this is a pointless tournament that means little to anyone but the teams who reach the final, but you'd be wrong. Think of the happy Russians who get to see players like Ronaldo, Moutinho and that guy from West Ham. Did you nearly forget that Fonte joined West Ham, too?
CR7 has been in decent form during this tournament too, scoring twice in his last three games. Watch out for new AC Milan signing Andre Silva up front - there are a lot of goals in that young man, let me tell you.
Evening all
Hello! Welcome to our liveblog covering the game of the century, or at least the best one that's on tonight. It's Ronaldo vs Sanchez, the European champions vs the South American champions, purple vs red... but who will win the prize of a place in the final of the... Confederations Cup? Only time, and hopefully goals, will tell!
Starting lineups
Portugal
Rui Patricio; Cedric, Fonte, Alves, Eliseu; Carvalho, Adrien Silva, Gomes; Bernardo Silva; Andre Silva, Ronaldo
Chile
Bravo; Isla, Jara, Medel, Beausejour; Hernandez, Díaz, Aranguiz; Vidal; Vargas, Sanchez
Preview
When and where is the match?
It's tonight, Wednesday June 28, at the Kazan Arena, Kazan, in Russia.
What time is kick-off?
The game starts at 7pm BST.
What TV channel can I watch it on?
Great news... it's on ITV from 6.30pm BST.
Match preview
Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi will renew old acquaintances when his reigning two-times Copa America champions take on Portugal in what he expects to be a tough Confederations Cup semi-final this evening.
Pizzi, who played under Portuguese coach Fernando Santos for FC Porto in 2000, will have a full 23-man squad to choose from for the clash in Kazan.
European champions Portugal's roster, meanwhile, has been depleted by injuries and bookings.
"We know it's going to be a difficult match," Pizzi said. "And I'm sure it’s going to be difficult for Portugal as well.
"It a privilege and reason for satisfaction to have all of (the players) at our disposal. Let's hope they are able to play at the same level as we've seen until now."
The Portuguese manager said a game-day decision will be made regarding midfielder Bernardo Silva, who sustained an ankle injury in his squad's last group stage match, a 4-0 win against New Zealand.
Central defender Pepe is sidelined after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament.
"Chile has very good quality players, very dynamic, very strong team spirit," Santos said. "We are going to try to be better."
Portugal topped Group A with seven points from three games while Chile finished second in Group B with five.
Germany will face Mexico in the second semi-final on Thursday in Sochi.
What are they saying?
Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi on Alexis Sanchez transfer rumours...
"We suppose he is very happy because he is going through a very special situation and I think everybody would like to be in this situation because the best clubs in the world want to have him in their squads."
Chile star Marcelo Diaz on the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo...
"He played an amazing season in Spain and I think he is playing here with the same strength. That's the reason why they are also in the semi-final. We'll try to stop him and reduce the space he has to move in... try to avoid that he gets the ball and scores."
What are the best odds?
Portugal to win 6/4
Draw 9/4
Chile to win 21/10
What is our prediction?
Portugal 1 Chile 2 - This game will almost certainly come down to Cristiano Ronaldo v Alexis Sanchez and with a full-strength side behind him, we've gone with the Arsenal man.
