June 18 – It took a goal in added time in Leipzig for Portugal take all three points with a 2-1 win against Czechia in a game they dominated from start to finish.
But it almost went wildly wrong for the Portuguese after they found themselves a goal behind with five minutes to go before equalising through a Czech own goal and then capitalising on a defensive error to squeeze over the line.
Portugal had breezed through the qualifiers, winning every single match. Often playing intoxicating football, they scored 36 goals and conceded just two, with Cristiano Ronaldo lending a typically big helping hand in scoring ten goals in the campaign.
The started this Group F match in similar style with Ronaldo to the fore and control of the ball that saw them have a remarkable 75% of possession, most of camped on the edge of the Czech box.
Ronaldo was ever present but it wasn’t to be his night for goals
This Portuguese team is much more than Cristiano, captain and talisman that he is. Portugal are packed with quality from Diogo Dalot and Pepe, through Vitinha, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and the live wire Rafael Leao up front, and it showed, at least until it came to getting the ball in the back of the net.
Roberto Martinez, in his first major tournament as Portuguese manager has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal but for periods in the second hal there were echoes of his last gig with Belgium where the team promised a lot but couldn’t quite deliver.
Ronaldo is still all about delivering and he had his first half chance on 8 minutes with a header in the box.
Czechia’s David Doudera celebrates their lead
On 20 minutes Bruno Fernandes unleashed a shot from the left hand side of the box that was tipped over by Jindrich Stanich in the Czechia goal. Minutes later Rafael Leao slid into the 6-yard box but couldn’t quite get a touch.
In the 32nd minute Ronaldo was fed through in front of goal but Stanich again got a hand to the ball.
Vitinha…
Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/06/18/portugal-beat-czechia-dramatic-added-time-winner/
Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-06-18 21:32:11
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