Euro 2024,
Tuesday, 18 June, 2024
McCreadie Andias
Francisco Conceicao netted a last-gasp winner as Portugal came from behind to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their 2024 UEFA European Championship Group F opener in Leipzig, winning for just the second time in seven attempts at the group stage of this competition.
Amongst the pre-tournament favourites for the trophy, Portugal kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign against a Czech outfit that had lost just one of their previous 14 matches, and Roberto Martinez’s men were frustrated for much of the first half.
In the opening half-hour, they were reduced to efforts from distance, with Nuno Mendes and Bruno Fernandes both trying their luck to no avail.
As half-time approached however, Portugal created more opportunities, with Rafael Leao inches away from getting on the end of Fernandes’ low cross following a quick counterattack, before Jindrich Stanek twice denied strikes from Cristiano Ronaldo, who was making his record-extending 27th appearance at a European Championship.
Czech Republic stood firm defensively to go into the break still on level terms, although they were unable to cause Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa any problems whatsoever.
After the interval, Martinez’s outfit remained on top, as Diogo Dalot and Bernardo Silva fired over before Ronaldo saw a free-kick parried to safety.
The Czech Republic, meanwhile, posed very little attacking threat until the 62nd minute when they stunned Portugal by breaking the deadlock against the run of play.
They had managed just one shot, and zero on target, prior to Lukas Provod curling a lovely first-time strike into the far corner.
The lead, though, lasted fewer than 10 minutes as Portugal equalised in fortuitous fashion, with Robin Hranac inadvertently putting into his own net after Stanek pushed the ball into his feet.
Silva and Vitinha tested Stanek further, with the Czech shot-stopper keeping both attempts out.
However, after Diogo Jota thought he had clinched the three points with a header before it was ruled out for a Ronaldo offside in the build-up, Conceicao was instead the hero of the hour, slamming in after Hranac failed to clear a low cross.
The dramatic victory releases the pressure on Portugal, who were deserved winners, while the Czech Republic must now be more expressive offensively against Georgia on Saturday if they want to progress from this group.