Portugal 2-1 Czech Republic
This Euro 2024 game always had an appeal for the neutral, let alone this SBOTOP observer.
Two nations who like to play football and have produced some of the great talents the game has witnessed.
In one case, arguably the greatest ever, and it is going to be fascinating to see how Cristiano Ronaldo’s last hurrah plays out over the next month.
Presumably it will be his farewell on the international stage given CR7 is now 39.
How would he and his nation fare against the charismatic Czechs who reached the quarter-finals at Euro 2020 three years ago?
Well, they edged through thanks to a last-gasp winner – but, make no mistake, they deserved it.
Highlights of the game
On a night where the rain was intermittent, there were few Euro 2024 highlights to begin with as the contest took a while to warm up.
Many eyes were on the showdown between the joint top scorers at the last European Championship as Ronaldo and Patrik Schick both lined up in the Group F clash at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena.
They had netted five each at the Covid-delayed Euro 2020 and are likely to shoulder the goal-scoring burden for their sides this time around with both men figuring highly again when it comes to Euro 2024 betting odds in the race to be top scorer.
Ronaldo was appearing in a record sixth European Championship, while centre back Pepe also started, at the age of 41 years and 113 days becoming the oldest player in the history of the tournament.
Chances were at a premium until midway through the first half when Bruno Fernandes delivered a low cross and the sliding Rafael Leao was inches away from converting.
Shortly afterwards, Fernandes was again the architect with a fine through ball which bypassed the Czechs and needed goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek to keep out Ronaldo.
Stanek frustrated Ronaldo again before the break and it did seem a matter of time before Portugal, the only team to win all their matches in qualifying, would take the lead.
However, there was also a sense that Czechs would be dangerous – even if Jaroslav Silhavy’s abrupt departure gave Ivan Hasek limited preparation in the build-up to the tournament – and they took the lead with their first effort on target as unmarked midfielder Lukas Provod, standing just outside the box, swept a right foot beyond Diogo Costa in the only place he could be beaten.
The Czech Republic had barely threatened but led and Portugal had to reply quickly. They did.
Within eight minutes, Bernardo Silva teed up Vitinha whose cross was headed back into the danger zone by Nuno Mendes and the unfortunate Stanek could not hold on as the ball ricocheted in off the knee of centre back Robin Hranac.
It may have been fortuitous but Portugal deserved to be level and, but for the narrowest of offsides, would have been 2-1 ahead when Diogo Jota pounced after Ronaldo’s header hit the post.
Yet they were not to be stopped and manager Roberto Martinez’s 90th minute substitution paid immediate dividends.
Pedro Neto showed tenacity to keep possession and fire a low cross from the left which was blocked and fell perfectly to fellow sub Francisco Conceicao to rifle in from eight yards.
On his competitive debut, the son of former Portugal international Sergio Conceicao had ensured a winning start.
For record-breakers Ronaldo and Pepe, it was more Concei-wow!
Key statistics
Portugal have won each of their past five matches in all competitions against the Czechs (12 goals for, two against).
Ronaldo holds the record for most games (26), most goals (14), joint-most assists on record (six – since 1972) and most editions with at least one goal (five) at the European Championships.
This was the fourth Euro meeting between Portugal and Czechia. The Czechs won the first in the Euro 1996 quarter-finals 1-0. Portugal have won the last three.
The Czech Republic have won only three of their last 12 Euro group stage matches (drawn two, lost seven).
Only two of the Czech Republic’s past 25 matches at the Euros have ended in a draw, both of these coming against Croatia (2-2 in the 2016 group stages, 1-1 in the 2020 group stages).
The last time they were involved in a 0-0 draw was in the 1996 semi-finals against France (which they won on penalties).
What’s next?
Portugal move to Dortmund now to take on Turkey on Saturday teatime (June 22), while the Czechs head to Hamburg to meet minnows Georgia the same day.
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