Euro24: Portugal snatches 2-1 win after stubborn fight from Czechia

 

After a poor performance in the last World Cup, all eyes were on how Cristiano Ronaldo played back in the Portugal jersey.  Ronaldo could have scored at least two goals in the first half.  Even once he found the goalkeeper alone, he could not score.  His left-footed shot was well saved once by Czechia (Czech Republic) goalkeeper Stanek.  Czechia went against the pace of the game.  Portugal equalized later with a Czech own goal.  Nama Concesa came on as a last-minute substitute and scored the winning goal for Portugal.

 Portugal dominated from the start of the game.  Dalot, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Cancelo, Bernardo Silva arranged the midfield of Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.  Ronaldo and Liao were put in front.  As a result, Portugal dominated the midfield throughout the first half.  One attack after another was coming to the Czech box.

 Ronaldo got the first chance after 8 minutes.  He headed in the box.  But CR7 could not keep it within the goal.    It was clear how eager he is to score in the country's jersey.  Portuguese footballers were sometimes shooting from a distance.  In the 25th minute, Fernandez's shot went wide of the bar.

Ronaldo had the easiest chance of the match in the 32nd minute.  From between the legs of the defense, Fernandes passed the ball to an unguarded Ronaldo in the box.  Ronaldo could not score even after finding the goalkeeper alone.  His left-footed shot was saved by Stanek.  Just before the break, Ronaldo hit another shot at the goal.  This time too, Stanek was standing like an impenetrable wall.  Both teams went into the break with no goals.

 Same picture from the start of the second half.  One attack after another hit the Czech box.  But Portugal could not open the mouth of the goal.  Liao is to some extent responsible for that.  He kept the ball at his feet for a long time.  Trying to play alone.  The Portuguese striker might have done better if he had given the ball to Ronaldo at the right time.  Portugal got a free kick outside the box after 58 minutes.  Ronaldo's shot went straight to the goalkeeper.

 Portugal has to pay for the missed opportunity.  In the 62nd minute, Czechia went ahead against the pace of the game.  Lukas Provod beat Diego Costa with a right-footed curling shot from outside the box.  Czechia went ahead.  The Portuguese fans sitting in the gallery were stunned.  Ronaldo also looked disappointed.

 The coach of Portugal was forced to lift Liao and bring down Nuno Mendes.  The results match.  After 69 minutes, Mendes headed into the box.  Stanek saved that ball.  But the return ball hit the legs of the Czech defender Ranach and entered the goal.  Portugal equalized with Ranach's own goal.

After equalizing, Portugal stepped up the attack.  In the 71st minute, Silva entered the box and hit a strong shot with his left foot but saved Stanek.  The entire Czech team came down on defense.  Five people were defending.  There were four others in front of them.  They kept one man up for each attack.  As a result, most of the game was played near the Czech box.

 Portugal had 76 percent of the ball.  In 80 minutes, they could not open the mouth of the goal despite hitting 17 shots at the goal of Czechia.  Ronaldo looked a bit dull in the second half.  The reason is that he was in strict marking.  Czech defenders were not giving him space.  Never got an empty head.  A defender was on him all the time.

 Portugal's pressure was high, but Czechia were creating chances with one or two attacks in between.  But it was not working as there were not many people in the attack.  Although Ronaldo could not score, the situation for Portugal's second goal was created from Ronaldo's head.  88 minutes into the gap Ronaldo headed.  The ball hits the post.  Dido Zata scored the return ball.  But in VAR, Ronaldo was standing offside.  As a result, the goal is disallowed.

 It looked like the Czech Republic would hold off Portugal.  But their defense made a mistake at the last minute.  The defender made a mistake in blocking Neto's cross.  Francisco Concessao, who came on as a substitute, grabbed the ball and scored.  Czechia couldn't come back for the rest of the time.  They have to leave the field after losing.  But the way Czechia kept Portugal under pressure will worry Ronaldo.