PARIS, June 26: Antoine Griezmann scored two second-half goals to lead France to a 2-1 comeback victory over Ireland and give his team a spot in the European Championship quarterfinals.
Ireland, which finished the match with 10 players, took the lead at Stade de Lyon from a second-minute penalty by Robbie Brady after Paul Pogba fouled Shane Long in the box.
But Griezmann turned in Bacary Sagna�s cross with a header in the 58th and then scored another in the 61st after Olivier Giroud fended off a defender to head a pass into his path.
Griezmann was also involved when Ireland defender Shane Duffy was given a straight red card in the 66th. Duffy fouled the France forward with only the goalkeeper to beat.
The goals were Griezmann�s second and third of the tournament. He also scored a late goal in France�s 2-0 win over Albania in the group stage.
France will next play either England or Iceland in the quarterfinals.
France forward Antoine Griezmann jumped to the top of the European Championship scoring chart with his two goals against Ireland.
Griezmann now has three goals at Euro 2016, the same as Wales forward Gareth Bale and Spain striker Alvaro Morata.
Morata can add to his tally when Spain plays Italy in the round of 16 on Monday.
Quaresma heads Portugal into quarters: Ricardo Quaresma headed Cristiano Ronaldo�s Portugal into the quarterfinals of Euro 2016 three minutes before the end of extra-time to break Croatian hearts with the only goal in Lens.
Ronaldo was denied matching Michel Platini�s record of nine goals in European championship finals by a fine save from Danijel Subasic, but the ball fell kindly to Quaresma to head into an empty net.
He sprinted to the corner flag where he was mobbed by his teammates.
Portugal will face Poland in the quarterfinals in Marseille on Thursday after the Poles beat Switzerland 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw earlier on Saturday.
Ronaldo had been kept extremely quiet for the vast majority of the game as the dull encounter became the first match in European championship history where neither team managed a shot on target during the regulation 90 minutes.
Wales edge closer to first semifinal after 58-year wait: Wales have the bragging rights in Britain now. After qualifying for the last 16 as group winners at the expense of neighbours England, the Dragons have won the first clash between two British teams in the knockout stages of a major tournament.
This was the biggest fixture for both sides in recent memory and it showed. The debutants played out a cagey opening half.
Wales, so often the underdogs, did not seem comfortable with their new favourites tag. While they prefer to play on the counter-attack, they were expected to push the pace against a Northern Ireland side that were content to sit deep.
Wales were passing sideways more than they were forwards, and had to resort to long balls played into the back of the Northern Ireland defence. Northern Ireland were banking on set-pieces to get their breakthrough, but could not make the most out of their corners and free kicks.
The pattern of the game continued in the second half, and a 75th-minute own goal summed up the untidy contest at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
At least the assist was of the highest quality. Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey passed the ball to Gareth Bale on the left flank. The Real Madrid star fizzed a low cross into the six-yard box, and Gareth McAuley put the ball into his own net from four yards out.
It might not have been a classic, but it would be hard to take anything away from Wales or Northern Ireland, who had the better half-chances and more shots on target (3-1). Both have punched above their weight.
Northern Ireland may be out, but they can hold their heads up high. Wales can continue their historic run. They have booked their place in Lille, where either Hungary or Belgium await. � Agencies
