Francisco Conceicao emerged because the hero for Portugal, coming off the bench to attain a vital stoppage-time objective and safe a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a resilient Czech Republic of their Euro 2024 Group F conflict on Tuesday.
Conceicao, a substitute introduced on within the ninetieth minute, capitalized on a defensive error by Robin Hranac to fit dwelling from shut vary within the dying moments of the sport.
The objective got here simply after Portugal had been upset when Diogo Jota’s objective was disallowed by VAR for offside.
“He deserves it. He always works with one eye in front of the goal, he sniffs out goals,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez stated of the 21-year-old scorer. “He was the fireworks we needed today.”
The Czechs surprised the Portuguese followers packed contained in the Leipzig Stadium after they took the lead out of the blue within the 62nd minute, as Lukas Provod’s excellent curling effort threatened to trigger an almighty upset.
Yet unlucky defender Hranac scored an personal objective seven minutes later to arrange a frantic end that noticed Portugal declare the three factors to go away them degree within the group with Turkey, who beat Georgia 3-1 earlier on Tuesday.
With 41-year-old Pepe, who turned the oldest participant in Euros historical past, at middle again, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 39 and taking part in at a file sixth Euros, upfront, Portugal banked on expertise towards a Czech aspect with the youngest squad within the match.
The match was meant to be a stroll within the park for the extremely fancied Portuguese, who got here into the match on the again of a flawless qualifying marketing campaign by which they received all 10 matches, scoring 36 targets and conceding twice.
But as is so usually the best way in main tournaments, the script wanted a hasty rewrite.
While Portugal predictably dominated possession with 70%, 19 pictures, and 13 corners, the workmanlike Czechs offered an infuriating impediment for Martinez’s aspect.
Disciplined Czechs
Portugal arrange camp in Czech territory early on, however they got here up towards fierce resistance as Ivan Hasek’s disciplined aspect stored them largely at arm’s size.
For all their possession, Portugal’s probabilities have been restricted. Rafael Leao was their most inventive outlet together with his jinking runs down the left flank, though one theatrical dive earned him a first-half reserving.
Record-breaker Ronaldo was predictably on the middle of most of Portugal’s assaults, though a largely ineffective show will do little to quell the talk about whether or not he ought to nonetheless be beginning for the nationwide workforce.
He handed up their greatest probability of the primary half when he was performed by on objective by Bruno Fernandes, solely to be thwarted by Jindrich Stanek, and had one other shot overwhelmed away by the keeper simply earlier than the break.
Had Ronaldo discovered the online, he would have turn into the oldest scorer within the match’s historical past, however it was to not be his evening, and shortly after his header was deflected over after the restart, Portugal have been hit with a hammer blow.
Out of nowhere, the Czechs labored the ball down the pitch, and Vladimir Coufal fed Provod, who curled a shocking end past the attain of keeper Diogo Costa into the online.
The benefit, nevertheless, was short-lived as Portugal drew degree with greater than a bit success. A cross to the again publish was headed towards objective by Nuno Mendes, however Stanek’s save ricocheted off the knee of Hranac into his personal web.
Portugal thought that they had snatched victory when Ronaldo headed towards the publish and substitute Jota was available to transform the rebound, however VAR swiftly dominated Ronaldo was a fraction offside.
It didn’t matter, nevertheless, as Hranac made a large number of his tried clearance, and Conceicao nipped in to attain 111 seconds after approaching.
“Obviously, we are disappointed to concede a goal this late in the game, but we need to keep our heads high,” Hasek stated. “We need to get better because this was not a perfect game for us.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com