It only took one goal, albeit a mighty fine one, to decide the first meeting between Belgium and Portugal at a major tournament.

Thorgan Hazard, scoring his way out of brother Eden’s shadow to serve as the primary reference point for that surname now, decorated and settled the encounter with a swerving sensation.

In a match where quality and caution stifled chaos and opportunity, Thorgan Hazard provided the rare streak of light that will make Belgium’s golden generation gleam with hope. Up until his swerving strike in the second-half, this tactical stalemate between Belgium and Portugal had been suffocating.

The defences were well-drilled and resolute, leaving strikers to fend off scraps, and on those rare occasions that a crack emerged, chances were snatched at and miscued into the stands.

It has been a common trait of the knockout stages in tournament football, when anxiety so often smothers the action, that opposing forces tend to cancel one another out until a single moment of genius tilts the balance.

Reaction from Belgium hero Thorgan Hazard: “In these kinds of games you have to grab your chances with both hands. And voila, the goalkeeper expected me to choose the other corner, so the ball went in. I am happy I could score for my country!”

Thibaut Courtois: “I didn’t have a lot of work to do in the previous three games, but I knew that wasn’t going to be the case against Portugal. I am proud of my team-mates; they defended very well. Italy will be difficult too, but we have proved today that we are ready for it.”

Thomas Vermaelen adds: “In the first half we were playing high and putting pressure on Portugal, but looking at that second half, we are lucky to win.

“Portugal made it really hard for us. We had to really stay focused. It has cost us a lot of energy, but we have some time to recover and now we are looking forward to the game against Italy.”

A moment of respect between Ronaldo and Lukaku, the two stars of Serie A who were in direct competition this evening in the latest chapter of their rivalry.

The Italians will only be too aware of the threat of Lukaku in the next round, and the Inter Milan striker will have recent memories of scoring goals past Gianluigi Donnarumma, Leonardo Bonucci, Francesco Acerbi and the rest of the Italy back-line following his stunning campaign for the Serie A champions this year.

And it’s the match-winner, Thorgan Hazard, who picks up the star of the match award. A fine performance from the Borussia Dortmund winger, but any of Belgium’s centre-backs could have picked up the accolade for their performances.

Huge credit must go to Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Vermaelen for their defensive performances for Belgium. Questioned ahead of this contest, they defended the edge of their box superbly in the closing stages. Lukaku held the ball up well for his team, Eden Hazard looked alive after half-time, while Tielemans was quietly brilliant in midfield. Thorgan Hazard is the match winner after scoring for the second game in a row, and what a strike it was!

But what a disappointing night that was for Portugal. They didn’t try and take the game to Belgium until well into the second half and even then, there was no thought or structure to their attacking plan. Ronaldo was subdued, Fernandes was wasteful, and the former champions seemed to lose their composure at they chased an equaliser.

What a result that is for Belgium. Roberto Martinez’s side were far from their best but they ground it out - just like Portugal did on their way to the title in 2016.

The big concerns will be the injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard. Belgium will need to be at full-strength when they take on Italy in a huge quarter-final matchup.

Belgium hang on and advance to the quarter-finals! They outlast the defending champions, as Cristiano Ronaldo slams a frustrated fist to the turf. Lukaku and Ronaldo then share an embrace in the middle of the pitch, as Eden Hazard applauds the Belgium fans.