Portugal have been eliminated from the Under-21 Euro 2017 despite beating Macedonia 4-2.
Rui Jorge's side needed to win by four goals to dislodge Slovakia from the best runners-up place, but they failed.
Relive the drama with our live text commentary below.
Well hello. Cheers for joining our live text commentary on what is a very big night for Portugal Under-21s. It's the last game in Group B and the permutations are more confusing than Mulholland Drive. Basically, Portugal will progress into the semi-finals of the Under-21 Euro 2017 if they beat Macedonia Under-21s by at least four goals, or if they secure a three-goal winning margin and score at least four goals - a 4-1 win, for example, would see them through. Rui Jorge's side would, in that case, move into the last four as best runners-up, ahead of Slovakia who finished second in Group A.
Indeed, the Slovakian panel will be huddled around a television tonight hoping that Macedonia don't play like, well, Macedonia. Problem is, Blagoja Milevski's side have conceded seven times in their first two games and scored just twice. And they're up against a Portugal Under-21 team which has quite a few star players in its ranks. Spain put five goals past the Macedonians in the first round of fixtures, and Slovkia will know that there is every chance Portugal will dish out a similar defeat.
Anywho, the scene is set. Now let's look at team news, shall we?
Portugal Under-21: Varela; Cancelo, Edgar le, Figueiredo, Neves, Podence, Paciencia, Medeiros, Rebocho, Sanches, Bruma
Macedonia Under-21: Siskovski; Popzlatanov, Zajkov, Bardi, Nikolov, Radeski, Babunski, Bejtulai, Angelov, Murati, Gjorgjev
It's a big night for Bayern Munich's Renato Sanches. Obviously he has bags of potential but you wouldn't have known it by virtue of a couple of low-key outings against Serbia and Spain in recent matches. He might feel a little disappointed at having to compete in the competition, after playing a big role in helping the senior side win Euro 2016 in Paris last summer. I mean, he started and finished the final. He is one of several big-name inclusions tonight, along with Ruben Neves of Porto and Bruma of Red Bull Leipzig.
Marjan Radeski spearheads the Macedonia attack tonight. The 22-year-old striker four goals in 20 Under-21 appearances for his country. He is their best shot at scoring a couple of goals this evening, while captain David Babunski, in midfield, has five goals in 26 Under-21 matches. It's nothing major but if Macedonia do finish their campaign on a high then those two will have a big say in it.
Bruma and his Portuguese team-mates will be going home if they don't successfully dislodge Slovakia from that best runners-up spot tonight, but he might return home with the knowledge that he scored arguably the best goal of the tournament. The former Galatasaray livewire bagged a sublime left-footed volley against Spain Under-21s this week. It's like talent like this which makes you believe it could be a tough night for Macedonia.
Betting! Hmm. This puts things into context. Macedonia are 20/1 to end their Group B campaign with a win. This means that if you put £3 on, you lose £3. In contrast, Portugal are 1/8. I'm not sure it's up for debate whether they'll win or not - but will they win by the margin needed to reach the last four? This, my friends, is the question. Reminder: Portugal MUST win by at least four goals, or they could win by three, providing they score at least four to deny Slovakia from progressing as best runners-up. Make sense? Of course not but let's see what happens.
Right we're minutes away now. Stay tuned!
Kickoff! And we're off. Portugal, in their dodgy turqoise kit, kick us off.
Goal! Macedonia U21 0-1 Portugal U21 (Edgar Ie)
Wow. What a start for Portugal who are a quarter of the way to their four-goal target. It's so simple as Edgar Ie gets the run on Marjan Radeski and powers a header past Siskovski. Slovakia, who stand to get eliminated if Portugal win by four goals, are probably hitting the mini bar in their hotel right around now.
Portugal mean business tonight. They're playing like....like.....well like a team who need to score four goals. There's a lot of urgency, they're moving the ball around really well.
Good defending from Popzlatanov whose header denies Bruma a back-post header to make it 2-0.
Macedonia have taken the sting out of Portugal's attack a little, but Popzlatanov clears for a corner just now. They scored from their first corner, and they've only had two, so these are genuine chances.....but it comes to nothing on this occasion.
Shot! Well, Macedonia have had their first shot as Nikolov's long-range effort is comfortably saved by Varela. A lot better from the minnows.
It's obvious that the right-hand side of attack is going to be Portugal's main route for joy tonight. That's where all the crosses are coming from, but Popzlatanov is well placed every time to snuff out the danger. Fifteen minutes gone, 75 to go if Portugal want to reach the semis.
Really good defensive midfield play from Iuri Medeiros, who runs 40 or 50 yards to break up the play - and he does just that.
Portugal Sub: Early sub from Portugal as Rodrigues replaces Daniel Podence. He must be injured but he didn't look it.
Goal! Macedonia 0-2 Portugal (Bruma)
What...a....goal. It's superb from Bruma, who cuts inside Egzon Bejtulai and fires a fierce curling effort past a helpless Siskovski. He's made that finish look so, so easy. No time for celebrations though as he grabs the ball and sprints back to the halfway line with it. No time to waste for Portugal.
Save! Excellent save from Siskovski who denies a third, pulling off a point-blank block to keep out Paciencia. It's all go for Portugal.
Shot! Good play from Ruben Neves as the Porto man skips past a few challenges, but Siskovski tips his goal-bound effort out for a corner. Portugal have looked dangerous from these.
Save! Bruma is an absolute nuisance. He floats in a wonderful cross here to the back post, but Daniel Podence, the smallest player on the pitch, can't get enough power on his free header and Siskovski saves.
Close! Bruma is such a livewire. He goes close to another fine curler of a goal but this time it's just wide.
Save! What a save from Siskovski, who pushes Paciencia's half volley, which was creeping in at the far post, away to safety. It's one-way traffic, my friends, and seems like only a matter of time before they get a third.
Goal! Macedonia 1-2 Portugal
We didn't see this coming. It's Enis Bardi who shrugs off a very weak attempt of a tackle by Meredios and drives past Varela from about 25 yards. It's a great finish - it really was - and Portugal will be winded by that. It doesn't change things too much - they will need four goals and 4-1 victory would be enough.
Chance! It could and should be 3-1, but Joao Cancela fires into the side netting. It was a tricky angle and the Valencia man should've squared it across goal instead.
Half time: Macedonia 1-2 Portugal Well that was fun. Portugal need two more goals and keep Macedonia out if they want a last-four spot.
Kickoff! Right so we're back underway as Macedonia kick us off once again. They proved themselves quite resillient in the first half. Can they keep it up?
Renato Sanches owes Portugal a big second half. He was very quiet for most of the first half - and most of the tournament actually - so they need him to step it up a bit.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. It's a great run from Sanches just now, showing the kind of acceleration he's obviously capable of, but the final ball was lacking a bit on that occasion.
It's a great free kick from Mereidios who whips a fine cross into the box, but it's just over the head of Edgar Ie, who scored the opener of course. Portugal have begun the second half pretty strongly, but they need two more goals.
Dare I say Portugal look like they're running out of ideas? Macedonia, believe it or not, look relatively comfortable, but when you the likes of Bruma then anything is possible. He was a real livewire in the first half, though he's not done much in this half....yet.
Goal! Macedonia 1-3 Portugal (Podense)
So much for looking comfortable then and it's 3-1 to Portugal. It's Daniel Podense who, with his back to goal, turns and quickly finds the bottom corner amid pressure from the Macedonia keeper. Great finish.
Good hands from Varela as he keeps out Bardi's fizzing free kick. Just a reminder that, as it stands, Portugal need another goal to reach the semi-finals. 4-1 would do it. 4-2 wouldn't. Twenty eight minutes to go.
Shot! It's one-way traffic again as Rodrigues, from a very tricky angle, flicks the ball toward goal but it hits the side netting. Portugal, incidentally, have had 20 attempts at goal compared to Macedonia's nine.
We're into the last 20 minutes and Portugal don't look inspired at the moment it must be said. Time is running out for them in their bid to find a fourth and killer goal which would stand them in good stead in regards to the semi-finals.
Bizarrely, it's all Macedonia here folks. They, believe it or not, look like the side most capable of scoring the fifth goal in this match. Bruma has been disappointing in this half. He was outstanding in the first half, and got an outstanding goal to prove it, but he's done nothing since the break.
Jota goes down in the box under a challenge from Popzlatanov, but the referee isn't having it. It didn't look like a peno, but you've seen them given.
Goal! Macedonia 2-3 Portugal
Oh dear. Macedonia have made Portugal's quest to the semi-finals even steeper by ensuring that Rui Jorge's side must score twice in the final 10 minutes to put themselves in pole position for the semi-finals.
Close! We said Bruma's done nothing in this half but he comes close to sending Portugal 4-2 ahead, only for his precise effort to go narrowly wide of the far post.
Three minutes to go and Portugal are finished. They've been left for dead after that last goal and they'll be heading home, unless they score twice in the next three minutes, plus stoppage time.
Four minutes added on: That's what Portugal have to score two goals. They can't, can they?
Goal! Macedonia 2-4 Portugal (Bruma)
Well then. Bruma, who's been terrible in this half, volleys into the roof of the net to give Portugal a slender chance.
Red card! Diogo Jota is given a straight red card for.......nothing. Absolutely nothing. What a bizarre decision by the referee. If anything it was a foul to Portugal for that challenge! Utterly, utterly bizarre.
Ok let's forget that mad referee for a minute. Portugal have a free kick deep in Macedonia's half. They'll fizz this in. It's their last chance.
Full time: Macedonia 2-4 Portugal That's it ladies and gents. Portugal exit the competition despite winning 4-2. They needed four goals, but the two conceded scuppered their chances. Cheers for joining our live commentary and we'll see you next time.
