Portugal vs Wales: Result, match report, minute by minute

Two Portuguese goals in the space of three minutes were enough to end the Welsh Euro 2016 dream and see Fernando Santos take his side into Sunday's final in Paris where they face the winners of Thursday's other semi final in Marseille between Germany and hosts France.

Wales had the better of a poor first period where neither goalkeeper was called into action despite Coleman's side shadowing possession in a discreet first forty-five minutes of football.

Despite a low-key performance in the first half where he was admirably dealt with by Welsh defender Collins, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who rose highest to meet a delightful cross from Guerriero after a short corner from Portugal. His thunder-bolt of a header left Hennessy with no chance as the player from Madeira fired Portugal ahead. The Welsh side were shell-shocked and within just three minutes an off target Ronaldo shot was pounced upon by new Valencia acquisition Nani to edge Portugal closer to the final.

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Wales threw everything at the game with Coleman introducing Vokes, Church and Jonathan Williams but it wasn't to be for the men in grey and black on a night where not even the Gareth Bale magic could produce a goal that would have given the 10,000 Welsh supporters something to cling to.

Portugal travel to Paris to compete in their second European Championship final and Wales finally go home. It's been an incredible journey for the country of just 3 million people where football is very much overshadowed by Rugby Union.

Min 92 | Allen fouls Quaresma and offers Cristiano the chance to finally get on target from a direct free kick. Poor effort from the no. 7 as Portugal are seconds away from their second Euro final after 2004.

Min 90 | 3 minutes to time to be added on by Mr. Eriksson.

Min 89 | Last minute in Lyon with Portugal on the attack. The Wales dream about to come to an end as the fans sang the national anthem with gusto. Euro 2016 will be a quieter place without the fantastic red clad supporters.   

Min 88 | Bale booked for dangerous play after his boot impacts with Cedric's face. 

Min 86 | Cristiano Ronaldo latches on to a long cross field ball, beats Hennessey but finding an acute angle fires his shot into the side netting.

Change for Portugal: Nani off as Quaresma makes his entrance.

Min 84 | Bale wins a dangerous free kick for Wales. A long way out as the No. 11 steps up to strike. Poor shot from the Wales captain as little is going way the Wales side. Plenty of tired legs on the Stade de Lyon pitch with 6 minutes plus stoppage time remaining.

Min 81 | Excellent long range drive from Bale as Rui Patricio struggles to stop the pile-driver from the Madrid player. A glimmer of hope for Wales as the desperately seek the goal that would pull them back into the tie.

Min 78 | Portugal almost make it 3 as Danilo sees his shot smothered by Hennessey as the ball nearly squirms over the goal line. Portugal third goal now bearer than a Wales first as we enter the last ten minutes of the game here in Lyon. 

Change for Portugal: Silva off and Moutinho his replacement

Min 76 | Bale controls a ball a long way from the Portuguese goal and tries a speculative half volley which fails to trouble Rui Patricio.  

Min 72 | Ronaldo goes into the book after a foul on Williams. Poor resulting free-kick from Wales with nothing going the way of the men in grey and black in the second half tonight. The second Portuguese goal has really had a KO effect on Coleman's side. 

Change for Portugal: Renato off and Gomes on.   

Min 70 | Fonte gets on the end of a Joao Mario corner to head into Hennessey's arms as Eriksson books Bruno Alves for dissent.  

Can Johhn-iesta as he is known among the Crystal Palace faithful make any difference for Wales with just over 20 minutes remaining here in Lyon.

Min 67 | Last throw of the dice from Coleman as he makes this third and final change. Collins off and Johnnie Williams his replacement. 

Min 64 | Portugal fans making themselves heard behind Rui Patricio's goal. The men in mint green looking good for a place in their second European Championship final.

Min 64 | Coleman makes another change as Robson-Kanu makes way for Church.

Min 60 | Vokes almost latches onto a Bale cross field ball but Alves was equal to snuff out the attack. Chester booked for Wales after a foul on Ronaldo. The Portugal No. 7 takes the kick and it just goes over the bar. A third goal would be curtains for Wales.

Min 57 | Portugal happy to just move the ball around, retain possession and make Wales work. Coleman makes a change, Ledley off and Sam Vokes on as Wales look to the attacking prowess of the Burnley striker.     

Harsh on Wales who were on the ropes recovering from the Cristiano opener and now have to dig deep after Nani makes the Sunday final that bit closer for Fernando Santos side. 

Portugal 2-0 Wales

Min 53 | Disaster for Wales as Nani latches onto a missed kick shot from Cristiano to steer home. 

Portugal 1-0 Wales  

Min 49 | Cristiano puts Portugal ahead ! Gol Gol Gol.... 

Min 48 | Plenty of missed passes as both teams struggle to get to grips with proceedings. 

Min 46 | No changes at the break for either side.

Half time reflection: A very evenly balanced tie here in Lyon with nothing resembling a clear-cut chance having been created by either side. Wales shading possession with Portugal desperately needing to get Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo into the game if they aspire to be in Sunday's final. Only a matter of time before we see the introduction of Ricardo Quaresma.   

End of First Half

Portugal 0-0 Wales

45 | Swedish punctuality.  Eriksson calls time on proceedings.  

44 | Best chance of the evening falls to Cristiano as he out-jumps Chester and gets his head on the ball fortunately for the Wales fans the header was always going his and over the crossbar.

42 | Better from Portugal as they move the ball around with purpose and vigor. J.Mario wins a corner but the delivery is poor and claimed easily by the Wales No. 1

Min 35 | Renato flashes a dangerous cross across the Wales area and once again Collins aka The Ginger Pelé is on hand to repel the danger. A colossal performance from the West Ham player so far this evening with Cristiano in "his pocket" so far. 

Min 33 | Silva tries his luck from long range for Portugal but the Sporting player fails to trouble Hennessy in the Wales goal.   

Min 30 | Possession: Portugal 45% vs. Wales 55%  

Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani have been very discreet so far for Portugal this evening as their fans find their voice. Bale certainly ahead "on points" in the battle between the two Real Madrid men. 

Min 25 | Robson-Kanu pulls the ball back looking for King as Portugal clear the danger. Wales on top now.

Min 23 | Great mazy run from Bale who takes the ball from his own half and opts to shoot. His left footed drive was easily dealt with by Rui Patricio as the Real  Madrid player strikes the ball straight at the keeper.  

Min 21 | Wales edging their way into the game now with more possession. Coleman's side now looking settled as King almost gets on the end of a Bale delivery.     

Min 19 | Straight from the training ground as Wales pull the corner back to Bale who breaks free of his marker and strikes a left footed shot high and wide. 

Min 18 | Great play from Wales down the left hand side as Bale wins the first corner of the night for the men in grey & black. 

Min 16 | Chance for Portugal as Joao Mario gets a shot off for Portugal, the Sporting Lisbon player failed to catch his shot as Hennesey watches the ball trickle well wide of his post.

Min 15 | Cristiano Ronaldo picks up the ball for Portugal and is immediately pounced on by three Welsh shirts. 

Min 12 | The first rendition of "Don't Take Me Home" (the new Welsh unofficial anthem) rings out in Lyon. No danger just yet of the fans having to go home with nothing resembling a scoring chance for either side so far.

Min 10 | Danger from Portugal as a Cedric cross destined for the head of Ronaldo is headed away by Collins. 

Min 8 | Joe Allen goes into Mr. Eriksson's book for a foul on Valencia new-boy, Nani. 

Min 6 | The 18/24 year old Renato getting plenty of early possession for Portugal. A player who has grown as the tournament has evolved despite the mystery surrounding his age.  

Min 4 | Joe Allen give the ball away in the centre of the pitch and it's pounced on by Ronaldo who gallops towards the Wales area and is upended/tackled. A cagey start from both sides. 

Min 2 | A hugely impressive bank of red in the goal behind Rui Patricio's goal. 10.000 Wales fans at the game this evening. 

Mister Eriksson (Sweden) is our official as Wales get us under way...

Both teams in their away kits this evening: mint green for Portugal and Wales in their grey and black hooped combo. 

National anthem time with first up the Welsh followed by the Portuguese tunes!  

Just 10 minutes away from kick-off  at a packed Stade de Lyon as one of Wales or Portugal look to claim a stake in the final of Euro 2016.  

Team news: The starting line up's for tonight's game in Lyon have been confirmed:

Portugal-Wales preview

Wales

What a story Wales have been. From rank outsiders to title contenders, the dark horses have stepped out of the shadows and are just two games of football away from winning Euro 2016. The sensation of Group B, finishing top ahead of England and giving themselves every chance of making the final on the ‘easier’ side of the draw, their 3-1 victory over Belgium has confirmed Wales as a serious force in this tournament, and their talisman Gareth Bale sees no reason why they can't lift the cup.

Chris Coleman's charges managed to win their debut match in the European Championships, overcoming Slovakia 2-1. Although the Red Dragons fell to England in their next match, Wales came back in spectacular fashion, smashing a poor Russia side 3-0. Northern Ireland were next on the hit-list where a Bale-inspired o.g. carried them into a dream quarter-final Euro debut against Belgium. A scintillating performance has allowed a nation dare to dream the impossible and with Iceland out, Wales take up the mantle of underdogs but will fancy their chances against a solid but uninspiring Portugal side.

Chris Coleman, however, has a problem on his hands with outstanding performers Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies suspended, and Gareth Bale training apart from the team to rest his problematic calf muscles. Leicester's Andy King or 'John-iesta' - Crystal Palace player Johnny Williams - will step in for Ramsey and James Collins for Ben Davies.

"It's not just about two players", said Gareth Bale, but for most people it is: Gareth Bale vs Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid's alpha males will be staring at each other from opposite ends of the pitch, and it will be fascinating to see which Galáctico comes out on top.

With morale sky-high and Bale likely to shake off any injury worries, the Welsh dragon will seek to incinerate the Portuguese challenge and swoop into a historic first major tournament. final.

Portugal

Not exactly favourites to make it this far either ("Don't cry Ronaldo", said Lothar Matthaeus before the tournament), Portugal have been solid and uncompromising, "boring" some have even charged, but they won't care and Fernando Santos' men are focused on making the final, where they've been before, losing to Greece on home soil at Portugal 2004.

As the Portugal manager Fernando Santos stated: "I'd rather be ugly and here than pretty and at home".

The iconic images of a tearful Cristiano Ronaldo 12 years ago may prove an extra motivation for the Portuguese star, who hadn't exactly set the tournament alight until those two essential goals against Hungary in a thrilling 3-3 draw. One of the number 7's goals a contender for goal-of the tournament.

Injury worries include arguably their outstanding performer so far: Real Madrid's Pepe, who would be a huge loss, but with a younger generation coming through the ranks like Renato Sanches, Andre Gomes, supported by the more experienced campaigners Pepe, Nani, Ronaldo and Quaresma, may prove the perfect mix to send Portugal to the final.

Much may rest on the shoulders of Bayern-bound Sanches, who has the energy and industry to provide that extraordinary moment and turn the match in Portugal's favour.

Where and How to Watch 

What time does the Portugal - Wales game start?

The first semi-final in the 2016 European Championships will be played at 21:00 local time (CEST) on Wednesday 6 July at the Stade de Lyon in Lyon.

Here's a complete guide to how and where to watch Wales-Portugal.

Live build-up Portugal vs Wales: