Portugal survives Czechia scare with stoppage-time winner

To close out the first matchday of Euro 2024, Czechia almost pulled off another stunning upset over Portugal. With half an hour to play, Czechia had a one-goal lead, despite Portugal dominating the control of the ball and coming close on several occasions. Yet, it was the Portuguese to score two late goals, including one in the second minute of stoppage time, to secure three points.

Portugal is one of the favorites of the tournament. Despite having the lion’s share of possession and firing off 19 shots by the final whistle, it was far from an impressive performance. Roberto Martinez’s starting XI included all the traditional names for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo was up top, becoming the first player to appear in six European Championships. Rafael Leao and Bernardo flanked the star man, and a talented midfield sat behind. Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha had wingbacks Diogo Dalot and Joao Cancelo. All that talent failed to muster a sizeable number of scoring chances for Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo had the best chance for much of the game. He had two shots on target in the first 45 minutes. On both occasions, Czech goalkeeper Jindřich Staněkwas equal to the legend. In comparison, Czechia did not have a shot on target in the first half. That did not stop it from opening the scoring though.

In the 62nd minute of the game, Czechia finally had a shot on target. From just outside the area, a cutback pass to Lukas Provod allowed the midfielder to hit the ball first time. His right-footed shot curled away from Diogo Costa in the Portugal net. The ball glanced off the inside of the post to give Czechia a surprise lead.

Portugal manages inspired comeback against Czechia

Perhaps going behind provided Portugal with the impetus to push forward. Six minutes after Czechia broke the deadlock, Portugal had an equalizer. While one team’s goal was a sumptuous finish, the other’s was a scrappy mess. Regardless, they all count the same. A Nuno Mendes header…

Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/uefa-euro/portugal-survives-czechia-scare-with-stoppage-time-winner/

Author : Kyle Fansler

Publish date : 2024-06-18 21:48:10

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