Portugal2

England2

AET Portugal win 6-5 on penalties

Scorers: Portugal - Postiga (83), Rui Costa (110); England - Owen (3), Lampard (115)

Ultimately, only one team deserved to win this Euro 2004 quarter-final, and it was Portugal. But this just outcome cannot detract from an England performance over 120 minutes of football and the gruelling torture of penalty-kicks which was epic in every sense. It is never less than numbing that a footballer's inability to beat a goalkeeper from 12 yards with a penalty can decide such dramas as these.

This was the high point, the very centre of passion and intrigue, which the competition has reached so far. A gripped and bedazzled Estadio da Luz, trapping in its belly 52,000 Portuguese and English, was transfixed. This triggered another night of mayhem and celebration in the centre of Lisbon, where the citizens forget about sleep on such occasions.

This outcome joins a litany of England disasters in major championships, including the 1990 World Cup in Italy and Euro 96, when their nerve has failed them in penalty shoot-outs. England and David Beckham were bleating afterwards about the state of the penalty-spot turf, and there was certainly some farce about the way England capitulated.

The match had already caused any football supporter's emotions to run riot before Beckham and Rui Costa fluffed their penalties in deciding the winners. Beckham's attempt was so ludicrously high and wide that it might have been struck by Benny Hill. The England captain looked down and complained about a divot, but it was a moment of personal humiliation.

Portugal finally won the shoot-out 6-5 after Ricardo, Portugal's goalkeeper, saved Darius Vassell's effort. Ricardo then confidently strode forward to stab his shot past David James. On a night when Wayne Rooney was lost to a leg injury which will deprive him of fitness for three months, thus was England's disintegration complete.

It had been absorbing in every sense. England, having gone ahead after two minutes through Michael Owen, lost Rooney after 26 minutes but had looked resolute for an hour. Slowly, though, Portugal imposed skill and pressure on England's impressive defence. This culminated in Helder Postiga heading the host nation level with nine minutes of normal time left.

Portugal deserved this outcome according to one simple criterion. England started well and defended stoutly, but Portugal designed and constructed a welter of attacks. By this token, they were the more attack-minded team, and they certainly brought the greatest danger to the penalty box.

The regulation 90 minutes had already arrived at an excruciating climax. With two minutes left, and Portugal thriving on Postiga's equaliser, Owen headed Beckham's free-kick against the bar only for Sol Campbell to head home the rebound, apparently for England's winner. The effort, though, was disallowed by referee, Urs Meier, for a dubious foul on Ricardo by John Terry.

If all this was unnerving, the half hour of extra time proved a colossal experience. Rui Costa's blistering shot would surely have taken off some of James' fingers if the goalkeeper had dared to stop it entering his net.

But then England, almost beyond belief, raced up the field to equalise through Frank Lampard, by which point you knew this would have to be a night topped off with strong drink.

Amid all this, we learned one thing about Portugal. Beyond dispute, Luis Figo is a player in decline. The winger's slaloming runs and quick feet have been very obvious in this championship, though too often, like last night, they become snarled up among defenders. Figo was also the perpetrator of two embarrassing free-kicks, both in decent positions, which wafted over the bar.

He was substituted after 74 minutes by Luiz Felipe Scolari and walked disconsolately off the pitch behind the goal, not even coming to the halfway line to greet Postiga, his replacement.

It had seemed the questions facing England were being answered. Firstly, could Sven-Goran Eriksson's defence keep Portugal's four attackers at bay? And secondly, could Owen finally reach for his former high standards in this tournament?

Before Postiga's stunning header, both questions appeared to have been answered emphatically. Owen struck England ahead after only two minutes in a moment containing all his old stealth. And England's defence was resolutely strong in the face of Figo, Nuno Gomes, Maniche and Cristiano Ronaldo all trying to find a way past before Postiga rose to head Portugal level after 81 minutes. Estadio da Luz has become a loud, theatrical venue over these weeks and never more so than last night. The Portuguese had risen to fevered life through the progress of Scolari's team, but with 40,000 Englishmen camped in Lisbon, this was no ''away'' game as such for England. Their supporters swarmed across this arena's lower and upper tiers and were immediately inflamed by an Owen goal after just two

minutes.

After the start England enjoyed, these supporters could afford to be chivalrous. David James' long punt floated as only this Euro 2004 ball can, right to the edge of Portugal's box, where Costinha made a mess of attempting a backward header towards Ricardo. Sensing immediately that the ball wouldn't reach the goalkeeper, Owen was on it, twisting his body with his back to goal before flicking the ball with his right foot into the net.

It was the start of something.

Substitutions

Portugal Simao (Costinha 63), Postiga (Luis Figo 75), Rui Costa (Miguel 79)

England Vassell (Rooney 27), P Neville (Scholes 57), Hargreaves (Gerrard 81)

Subs

Portugal Quim, Moreira, Paulo Ferreira, Rui Jorge, Couto, Petit, Beto, Tiago

England Robinson, Walker, Bridge, Carragher, Butt, J Cole, Dyer, Heskey

REFEREE Urs Meier (Switzerland)

bookED

Portugal Costinha, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho

England Gerrard, G Neville, P Neville

Attendance 65,000