Ronaldo scored a brace and hit the woodwork twice as Portugal defeated Holland more comprehensively than the 2-1 scoreline would suggest and take their place in the quarter finals. For Holland they finish bottom of the group with nil points and crash out of a major championship at the group stage for the first time since 1980 and just two years since finishing runner-up at the World Cup.
The Dutch needed to win by at least two clear goals and hope results elsewhere went their way and they started well with a brilliant early goal from Rafael van der Vaart, but instead of building on this it was Portugal who took control and played more as a team.
Ronaldo and Nani were superb in running the Dutch defence ragged and the Real Madrid striker had already hit the outside of a post before levelling for Portugal.
Holland gave away possession and Pedro Joao Pereira played a superb ball into the path of Ronaldo who finished easily erasing the memory of all those squandered chances earlier in the competition.
Holland pressed in the second half but it was Portugal who looked the more dangerous on the counter attack and they deservedly took the lead with a swift break which ended with Nani rolling the ball into the path of Ronaldo who finished clinically from close range.
Van der Vaart did hit a post late on for the Dutch but it was Portugal who could have increased their lead with lightening breaks against dispirited opposition.
Portugal remain the only country in European Championship finals history never to have never crashed out in the group phase and will play the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals.
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (ITA)
Venue: Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv
Attendance: 38,633
Portugal scorers: Ronaldo 28, 74 Holland scorers: Van der Vaart 11
Yellow cards: Willems (HOL), van Persie (HOL), Pereira (POR)
