Euro 2024: Conceicao to the rescue as Portugal snatch 2-1 win over Czechs

Portugal’s Francisco Conceicao celebrates scoring their second objective with teammates.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters

Francisco Conceicao got here off the bench to seize a predatory stoppage-time winner as Portugal kick-started their Euro 2024 marketing campaign with an edgy 2-1 Group F win over a dogged Czech Republic on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Conceicao, who was introduced on within the ninetieth minute, pounced on a mistake from Robin Hranac to fireplace residence from shut vary within the third minute of added time, moments after Portugal had been left crestfallen when a Diogo Jota effort was chalked off by VAR for offside.

The Czechs had shocked the Portuguese followers packed contained in the Leipzig Stadium once 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.

But the unlucky Hranac scored an personal objective seven minutes later to arrange a frantic end that noticed Portugal declare the three factors to depart them stage within the group with Turkey who beat Georgia 3-1 earlier on Tuesday.

“It is vital to consider till the very finish. We did not go in blind, we believed, we saved our recreation plan, we had been very clear-headed,” stated Portugal’s man-of-the-match Vitinha.

With the 41-year-old Pepe, who grew to become the oldest participant in European Championship historical past, at centre again, and the 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo up entrance, Portugal had been banking on expertise successful out towards a Czech outfit with the youngest squad within the match.

The match was meant to be a stroll within the park for extremely fancied Portugal, who got here into the match on the again of a flawless qualifying marketing campaign wherein they gained all 10 matches, scoring 36 objectives and conceding twice.

However as is so typically the way in which in tournaments the script wanted a hasty rewrite.

Whereas Portugal predictably dominated the ball, with 70% possession, 19 pictures and 13 corners, the workmanlike Czechs offered an infuriating impediment for Roberto Martinez’s facet.

Portugal arrange camp in Czech territory early on, however they got here up towards some dogged resistance as Ivan Hasek’s disciplined facet saved them largely at arm’s size.

For all their possession, Portugal’s possibilities had 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.

Ronaldo was predictably on the centre of most of Portugal’s assaults, passing up their finest likelihood of the primary half when he was performed via on objective by Bruno Fernandes solely to be thwarted by keeper Jindrich Stanek who unfold himself brilliantly to cease the striker’s effort.

Ronaldo had one other shot crushed away by Stanek simply earlier than the break and a header deflected over shortly after the restart, but it surely wasn’t lengthy earlier than Portugal had 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 surprising end past the attain of keeper Diogo Costa into the web.

The benefit, nevertheless, was short-lived as Portugal drew stage with greater than little success. A cross to the again publish was headed in the direction of objective by Nuno Mendes however Stanek’s save ricocheted off the knee of defender 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 fireplace residence.