Portugal become the first team to reach a European Championship semi-final without winning a single game in normal time

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Portugal have become the first team in modern European Championship finals history to reach the semi-finals of without winning a single game in normal time.

They beat Poland on Thursday night courtesy of a penalty shootout, having drawn 1-1 with their opponents over 120 minutes of action.

That result followed an extra-time win against Croatia following a 0-0 draw, while they were also kept on level terms by Iceland, Austria and Hungary.

Portugal progressed to the semi-final of Euro 2016 after a 1-1 draw against Poland before winning on penalties

Renato Sanches scored Portugal's goal in normal time to draw level after Robert Lewandowski's opening goal

Portugal became the first team in European Championship history to reach the final four without a single win

No team has achieved a similar feat since the European Championship introduced a group stage in 1980 - earlier editions only featured four teams at the finals.

Portugal's route to the final four has also never occurred at a World Cup finals, the only other major international tournament Fernando Santos' side could compete at.

Paraguay actually went one step further than Portugal during the 2011 Copa America, reaching the final without winning a game.

It emulates Paraguay and Mali in the 2011 Copa America and 1972 African Cup of Nations respectively

They drew 0-0 with Ecuador, 2-2 with Brazil and 3-3 with Venezuela in Group B before winning successive penalty shootouts against Brazil and Venezuela.

Paraguay faced Uruguay in the final in Buenos Aries and - in what might be a sign worth noting for Portugal - were easily beaten, losing 3-0 at El Monumental.

At the 1972 African Cup of Nations Mali also managed to reach the semi-finals without winning a single game, although that competition only featured a group stage before the final four.

Both Paraguay and Mali lost their finals after reaching the last two in their competitions without winning a tie

Mali drew their three group games against Togo, Kenya and Cameroon before, like Paraguay, winning their semi-final against Zaire. Again, that result came after 90 minutes, with their 4-3 win confirmed in extra-time. However, they lost the final against Congo 3-2.

Portugal earned progression against Poland despite conceding an early goal to Robert Lewandowski in their quarter-final. 

They equalised through young prospect Renato Sanches, who secured a switch to Bayern Munich earlier this summer, before scoring all of their penalties while Jakub Blaszczykowski missed his for Poland. 

Portugal scored all of their five penalties while Jakub Blaszczykowski missed his spot kick for Poland