Belgium vs. Portugal score: Thorgan Hazard stunner knocks reigning champions out of Euro 2020

The Belgians will face Italy in the quarterfinals

Belgium are into the quarterfinals of the 2020 UEFA European Championship after a narrow 1-0 win over Portugal in Seville on Sunday. Thorgan Hazard's superb strike from distance three minutes before the break was the difference between the two sides at Estadio de la Cartuja and the defending champions had no answer to it in a match of limited opportunities.

Thibaut Courtois made an excellent save to deny Cristiano Ronaldo from a first-half free kick, but the Belgians made the breakthrough with Hazard's driven effort deceiving Rui Patricio in the Portuguese goal.

Renato Sanches was the most enterprising member of Fernando Santos' team, but the Lille OSC man could not do it all on his own and Diogo Jota was wasteful while Ronaldo was limited to speculative efforts.

Romelu Lukaku was equally frustrated at the other end as the Inter Milan man struggled for service from his teammates, but Real Madrid's Eden Hazard was lively and involved as captain.

The closest to a second-half goal was Raphael Guerreiro when he hit the post as the Portuguese pushed for an equalizer and Courtois was called into action on multiple occasions.

One of few negatives on the night for Belgium was Kevin De Bruyne being forced off injured just minutes into the second half with what looked like a serious enough ankle injury to hamper his Euro involvement.

Otherwise, Roberto Martinez's men will be delighted reaching the quarterfinals where they will now face Italy in Munich.

Belgium 1, Portugal 0 (FT)

⚽Belgium: Thorgan Hazard - 42'

[Jun 27, 2021 at 4:56 pm ET · Jonathan Johnson]

What a result for Belgium! Heroic towards the end as Portugal attacked in waves. Thorgan Hazard's superb strike was a worthy winner, but Thibaut Courtois deserves major praise too for his role. Italy next up for Roberto Martinez's men in the quarterfinals as the Portuguese defending champions go home.

[Jun 27, 2021 at 4:38 pm ET · Jonathan Johnson]

A Portuguese knockout phase match at international level is just not the same until Pepe gets involved in some sort of controversy and there we have it. Booked. Tempers flaring in the last couple of minutes as we approach the final 10.

[Jun 27, 2021 at 4:27 pm ET · James Benge]

The substitutes brought a flurry of pressure for a while but Belgium seem to have made it out the other side of that tricky spell and are now far more at ease with the game. It is almost a reprise of the first half, all the pressure going at that right hand goal in what is almost an attack vs. defense game.

[Jun 27, 2021 at 4:17 pm ET · James Benge]

The double change for Portugal seems to be a tacit acceptance that all the previous line up would offer was possession without penetration. Joao Felix and Bruno Fernandes will surely provide that and straight away Ronaldo has players to work with, a give and go with Dalot that ends with his shot flashing towards Jota, who scoops a snap shot over the bar.

[Jun 27, 2021 at 4:06 pm ET · James Benge]

Now this is a real worry from Belgium's point of view. De Bruyne had been limping as he came off in the first half. Now he will not be able to continue and Mertens is being introduced in the third minute of the second half.