Heartbreak for England

England's Euro 2004 campaign was cruelly and heartbreakingly ended in Lisbon tonight after a penalty shoot-out decided one of the most dramatic matches the European Championship has ever seen.

Hosts Portugal will play in the semi-finals after going through 6-5 on penalties, but every one of Sven-Goran Eriksson's side can return home with their heads held high.

Our tournament was ended when Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo saved Darius Vassell's penalty and then got up to take the winning spot-kick himself.

It was a fairytale finish for the Sporting Lisbon man, but for our boys it was a terrible, terrible way to lose after setting the tournament alight in the group stage.

That was made worse after hero Wayne Rooney was injured in the 27th minute and taken to hospital for x-rays on his right ankle.

There was a real belief in this England side that they could go all the way at Euro 2004. And although they didn't play well here in Lisbon, the never-say-die attitude of the team meant they never gave up hope and never stopped battling.

When Helder Postiga equalised Michael Owen's early opener after 83 minutes to take the game to extra-time it seemed the Three Lions were out of it. Especially when Sol Campbell's 90th minute effort was disallowed.

And the same applied when Rui Costa put the Portuguese 2-1 up with 110 minutes on the clock.

But somehow we held on and Frank Lampard pounced to make it 2-2 five minutes from the end and send the game to penalties.

In almost unbearable tension, England captain Beckham was brave enough to take the first kick but sent his effort way over the bar.

It was cruel, but England weren't finished yet. Michael Owen slammed his effort down the middle, Lampard answered Simao's cool finish - and then Rui Costa blasted his kick high and wide.

The pressure cranked up even higher but John Terry, Ronaldo, Owen Hargreaves, Maniche and Ashley Cole all survived the test.

Darius Vassell, however, saw his well-struck effort superbly saved and it was down to David James to save the day against his fellow goalkeeper Ricardo. He couldn't, and now England will be heading home.

England fans across the country will be distraught. But this was one of the most dramatic matches the European Championships has ever seen and it was played at 100 miles an hour from start to finish.

England could not have dreamed of making a better start because after only three minutes we had the ball in the net.

A long punt from David James was missed by defensive midfielder Costinha, who allowed the ball to fly over his head on the edge of the penalty area. And Owen stole in behind him to cleverly twist and turn the high ball home with the wrong side of his foot.

At least a third of the Stadium of Light rose to greet the goal and the scene was set for an action-packed and passionate quarter-final.

There could hardly have been more action crammed into an opening 45 minutes that had both sets of fans on the edges of their seats from start to finish.

Owen twice came close to making it 2-0 but the signs at the other end of the field were not so good, however. Portugal's attacking play, performed at pace, caused England real problems and there were a string of nervy moments in the Three Lions penalty box which lasted the full 90 minutes.

Costinha, twice, and Nuno Gomes had headed chances after England failed to clear their lines, while Maniche unleashed a stunning 30-yard shot that James only just managed to tip over the bar.

It was clear this was going to be a passionate but frantic evening for both teams, and some sloppy passing in midfield prevented England from dominating possession in the way they would have liked.

Things were made more difficult when Rooney limped off after 27 minutes, to be replaced by Darius Vassell.

It was just as well that Ashley Cole was in such outstanding form, keeping all-comers at bay - including Figo, Ronaldo and the impressive Miguel - in an almost faultless display.

Eventually Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson gave him some help, by taking off Scholes in the 57th minute and bringing on the more defensive Phil Neville in a bid to wrest back control in midfield.

It certainly settled us down, and Portugal responded by taking off Costinha and bringing on the more attack-minded Simao.

He almost made an immediate impact, whipping a 20-yard shot narrowly wide after 65 minutes, while Figo forced a fantastic save from David James after 75 minutes when the England keeper plunged to his right to keep out a fizzing long-ranger.

It proved to be Figo's last action of the night, because astonishingly he was substituted for Tottenham's Helder Postiga shortly afterwards.

The Portugal number seven walked down the tunnel in disgust, but coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was proved right when Simao crossed from the right in the 83rd minute and Postiga rose unmarked to head past James for 1-1.

In truth, it was no more than what the Portuguese deserved. But we so nearly snatched victory in the most dramatic fashion with 90 minutes on the clock.

Beckham took a free-kick on the left, Owen headed against the bar and Campbell rose to head home. But, just like against Argentina in the World Cup of 1998, the big defender's goal was disallowed for a foul.

That meant extra time and there was a scare for England when Postiga fired the ball against Terry's hand and claimed a penalty. But thankfully referee Meier saw sense - and did so again when Nuno Gomes flung himself to the floor in the box minutes later.

Beckham almost won it with a header from a Hargreaves cross 11 minutes into extra-time but the drama wasn't over.

England's man of the moment Cole cleared off the line in a goalmouth scramble. And then Rui Costa thundered home a ferocious 18-yard shot with only 10 minutes of the game remaining.

It looked all over - but then the impossible happened. England stepped up a gear, won a corner and in the most dramatic game the tournament has seen they found one last surging effort.

Beckham sent over the corner, Terry headed down and Lampard turned to drill home an equaliser and leave the home crowd stunned.

It meant a penalty shoot-out, with memories of previous nightmares against Germany in 1996 and 1990 refusing to go away.

The Three Lions' penalty nightmare returned - but so will England.

Portugal Goals: Postiga 83, Rui Costa 110

England Goals: Owen 3, Lampard 115

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