Rui Patricio’s brilliance keeps France at bay

Portugal may have lost their captain Cristiano Ronaldo through injury, but they found a goalkeeper in outstanding form in the European Championship final.

Rui Patricio made sure France never broke through a defensive line that was the foundation of Portugal’s 1-0 victory in extra time on Sunday. A leaping save to tip away Antoine Griezmann’s early header; a diving block to divert Olivier Giroud’s powerful second-half shot; and a stretching parry of Moussa Sissoko’s sizzling drive in the 84th minute. Patricio did everything right.

“Rui Patricio is beyond reproach. I should congratulate him,” said Portugal coach Fernando Santos through a translator.

All in, the Portugal keeper made seven key saves to repel France’s attack.

His efforts also extended his record of conceding only one goal in seven-and-a-half-hours of play after Portugal limped through the group stage with three draws in third place behind Hungary and Iceland. It had been the 28-year-old goalkeeper’s save of Jakub Blaszczykowski’s spot-kick, during the penalty shootout against Poland that helped his team through a tricky quarter-final that ended 1-1 after extra time.

“In the penalty shootout, he was very important and today he was a key player,” said Santos.

At the Stade de France, Patricio’s most athletic effort was soaring to reach Griezmann’s looping header in the 10th minute, just as Portugal was reeling from the injury to Ronaldo moments earlier. Griezmann, the top scorer at Euro 2016 with six goals, was denied again when he shot low to the goalkeeper’s left in the 58th minute. “He (Griezmann) had chances, but he came up tonight against a goalkeeper who made some crucial saves,” said France coach Didier Deschamps.

And maybe now Patricio will get wider recognition — because even though he has now made 52 international appearances for Portugal, and is competing in his fourth major tournament, he still remains one of the most under-appreciated top goalkeepers in Europe.

A one-club player, he has spent his entire career with Sporting Lisbon, which rarely play in the Champions League. But now Sporting will be in the elite 32-team group stage in September — with a European champion between the posts. AP