Euro 2024 and Copa America dreams were dashed for Wolves’ international contingent over the weekend, with Portugal and Brazil exiting their respective competitions.
Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo and Pedro Neto’s Portugal were agonisingly eliminated from the European Championships on penalties, while Joao Gomes and Brazil suffered a similar face over in the US.
Sa, Semedo & Neto | Portugal 0-0 France (3-5 on pens)
Portugal have earned admirers across Euro 2024, but on Friday evening their journey ended at the hands of France in Hamburg.
Wolves’ trio started on the bench, but Semedo was called upon on 74 minutes, replacing Joao Cancelo for the final 16 minutes and the 30 which followed as extra time.
In a game which Portugal edged, neither side could force the opening goal, so like their tie against Slovenia in the round of 16, the Portuguese faced penalties.
A high quality shootout followed, with France scoring all five of theirs, meaning Joao Felix’s hit of the woodwork proved costly, seeing Portugal exit at the quarter-final stage.
Gomes | Brazil 0-0 Uruguay (2-4 on pens)
Like in all of the previous matches in the Copa America this summer, Gomes started for Brazil in their crucial quarter-final against Uruguay.
In a match of few chances, Uruguay were reduced to ten men following Nahitan Nandez’s red card on 74 minutes.
Wolves’ Gomes was substituted on 81 minutes for Fulham’s Andreas Pereira, but the Brazilians couldn’t take advantage, including during the extra 30 minutes.
It meant the tie went to penalties, but with Gomes watching on, the Brazilians exited, following unsuccessful penalties from Eder Militao and Douglas Luiz, meaning their journey ended there.
