Francisco Conceicao’s 92nd-minute goal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory for Portugal against the Czech Republic in their Euro 2024 opener.
Despite numerous missed chances, especially from Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal managed to overturn a deficit created by Lukas Provod’s stunning goal. Provod’s strike punished Portugal’s missed opportunities, many of which were Ronaldo’s as he marked his sixth European Championship appearance at age 39.
Portugal leveled the score when Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek deflected a Nuno Mendes header into defender Robin Hranac, resulting in an own goal. With just two minutes left in stoppage time, substitute Pedro Neto delivered a low cross that found Conceicao, who netted the decisive goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo, although failing to score, made history with his sixth Euro appearance. However, his performance was marked by missed chances and a disallowed goal for offside. Despite this, Portugal’s new generation stepped up, with Conceicao emerging as the hero.
Vitinha stood out with his impressive performance, effectively balancing defensive duties and smart ball use, including a key cross leading to Portugal’s equalizer.
Czech Republic manager Ivan Hasek praised Ronaldo’s enduring threat, acknowledging the difficulty his team faced against one of the world’s best squads. Despite the loss, he noted the genius of Ronaldo and expressed hope for improvement in upcoming matches.
Credit: Sky Sports
