It was a night when everything went wrong for Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal side, the Netherlands racing into a 3-0 half-time lead that they never looked like reqlinquishing.

The writing was on the wall as early as the 11th minute when Memphis Depay was allowed to power forward from the halfway line.

Unchecked until deep into Portugal territory, a quick passing move culminated in Donny van de Beek's low cross to an unmarked Depay, who made no mistake.

Just after the half hour, Ryan Babel was the second player to be left alone inside the six-yard box, and his powerful header put the Netherlands two goals to the good.

Joao Cancelo's first yellow card came just before the break, and from the resulting freekick, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk blasted home a third.

With the game over as a contest, Portugal made four substitutes in the first 10 minutes of the second half, and just six minutes after the final sub (61), Cancelo earned a second yellow and subsequent red.

Ronaldo, who had been brilliantly denied by Jasper Cillessen during the game, was subbed off himself on 68 minutes.

Another flurry of late substitutions was the only excitement in the last 20 minutes, but this defeat will have certainly given the European Champions something to ponder.

Source: marca.com

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