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SAINT DENIS (SW): Portugal would take on the hosts France tonight for the title of 2016 UEFA European Championship finals in the French city of Saint Denis.
The match would kick-off at 23:30 Afghanistan Standard Time. France overpowered world champion Germany while Portugal defeated Wales in the semi-final to make it to the finals.
To the advantage of the hosts, France have won the last ten games between the two sides, most recently a friendly in Lisbon in September 2015 in which Mathieu Valbuena scored the only goal. Their last competitive encounter also ended 1-0 in France's favour, a Zinédine Zidane penalty enough to end Portugal's 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign in the semi-finals, the official site of the UEFA has noted.
The last EURO final to go into extra time was the 2000 edition, when France beat Italy 2-1 thanks to David Trezeguet's golden goal. Only one EURO final has gone as far as penalties; the 1976 edition, when Czechoslovakia held West Germany 2-2 and won 5-3 on spot kicks in Belgrade, it added.
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Portugal's 2-0 semi-final win against Wales was their first victory inside 90 minutes at these finals. Their previous six finals matches ended in draws after 90 minutes; five at this competition, plus a 0-0 stalemate with Spain – preceding a shoot-out defeat – in the UEFA EURO 2012 semi-finals. In their only previous major final, Portugal lost 1-0 to Greece in the UEFA EURO 2004 decider – a defeat made all the more agonizing by the fact that they were tournament hosts.
Group A winners France are unbeaten in ten games at this tournament. France are playing in their fifth EURO or World Cup final; they won the first three (2-0 v Spain, UEFA EURO 1984; 3-0 v Brazil, 1998 World Cup; 2-1 v Italy UEFA EURO 2000) before losing the most recent on penalties following a 1-1 draw against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final.
ENDS
