Euro 2024, Portugal suffers and then rejoices: 2-1 to Czech Republic

The hard-fought victory comes in the midst of recovery.

A very complicated 2-1, which was resolved only in the dying minutes after the disadvantage accrued with half an hour to go. Soì Portugal beats the Czech Republic in the debut match of both at Euro 2024. It all happened in the second half, when Provod’s goal and Hranac’s own goal arrived. As time expired, class of 2002 Francisco Conceicao decided.

The first half seemed immediately favorable to Portugal, which però did not unlock the match despite the verve of Cristiano Ronaldo (served by Rafa Leao). Also in vain were attempts by Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, before it was Stanek who opposed CR7 like a champion. The former Real Madrid and Juventus man then tried again in the final seconds before halftime.

The match, goalless in the first half, turns on in the second. And to take the lead è somewhat surprisingly the Czech Republic: credit to Provod, who at 62'solves a convulsive action with a bolide from outside the box. Portugal trembled, but solved its troubles as early as 69' when on a Vitinha header it was Stanek and Hranac who packed the omelette: the latter's knee deflection turned into the equalizer's own goal.

Having escaped danger, Portugal poured into the attack and tried to win: at 87'87' they thought they had taken the lead, but the VAR (Italian, like referee Marco Guida of Torre Annunziata) canceled for offside by Cristiano Ronaldo. To decide the challenge è then Francisco Conceicao even at 92', minute in which the son of art takes advantage of Pedro Neto's assist and thanks to Hranac's lightness, signs the winning goal.