Euro 2024: Czech Republic 1, Portugal 2
Consider the inner workings of Roberto Martinez’s mind, with 57 minutes of playtime elapsed, as Cristiano Ronaldo stands sharpy over a crucial free-kick in the midst of torrential rain. Perhaps Martinez was contemplating the introduction of Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceição from the reserves to overrule the motivated Czech team, a move that eventually played out during the electrifying evening in Leipzig.
Initially, Diogo Jota seemed to have come to Portugal’s rescue. However, the effectiveness of video assistant refereeing (VAR) overturned Ronaldo’s claims to an 87th-minute goal that bounced off the crossbar and was deemed offside. The game was in equilibrium until Conceição’s 11th hour goal steered the game against the Czech Republic.
These determined underdogs weathered the persistent onslaught of attempts on goal from the 2016 European victors throughout the game. The unexpected nearly took place when, on this night of recovering lost opportunities, David Douděra was successful in chasing another dream down. His arching cross discovered the indefatigable Vladimír Coufal who dispatched Lukáš Provod on goal.
This glorious prospect of an historic result for Czech Republic, who were leading Portugal with 1-0, was soon shattered seven minutes later. Robin Hranáč was playing the match of his life but a recurring lob into the Czech area saw Nuno Mendes tower over substitute David Jurásek.
Jindřich Staněk’s personal commitment to prevent Ronaldo from scoring was tested as he could only skim the ricocheting ball, only for Hranáč to scramble an equaliser for Portugal into the net with his shin.
It was a bitter twist of fate, although justified considering the team’s dominance in possession.
Simply put, in the face of Portugal’s strategic approach, the Czech coach Ivan Hašek was unyielding. His dare to this world-renowned team of football superstars was to take on the Zentralstadion, and attempt to dismantle the Czech defence.
The lack of standout stars for the Czechs became apparent in their recent match, when West Ham United’s Tomáš Souček and Patrik Schick, a new recruit for Bayer Leverkusen, could do little but showcase their abilities in a near-continuous 90-minute defensive play against a well-coordinated attacking side. Portuguese midfield stars Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes were visibly thrilled at every attempt by the Czechs to push back and counter. Man City player João Cancelo and surprise passes quickly disrupted their play, grabbing the attention of their opponents from Manchester United.
Tactical plays were evident in the 20th minute when the Portuguese midfielders passed an almost successful goal opportunity for João Cancelo. Later, in the 32nd minute, an exceptional pass from Fernandes invited football legend Cristiano Ronaldo to outwit Czech goalkeeper Jindřich Staněk. Despite the goalkeeper’s impressive performance in preventing a score with his trailing leg, Ronaldo, notorious for his records at the age of 39, remains at pace to make history.
Already into his sixth tournament, Ronaldo has made the most number of appearances (25) and scored the most goals (14) at the Euros. He is currently holding the record for most assists (tied with Karel Poborsky). Furthermore, despite soon becoming the oldest player in the history of the Euros, surpassing Lothar Matthäus from Euro 2000, his spot was swiftly overtaken by 41-year-old Pepe.
Ronaldo nearly etched into history as the oldest goal scorer in the Euros, missing the opportunity twice – once when his header drifted to hit the post and next, when Staněk prevented his on-target effort. The consistent downpour seemed to be a blessing in disguise for the Czech side.
The skilled Ronaldo also displayed his brilliance with a quick drop into space that saw Vitinha pass clean through, though a shirt-pull on Lukáš Provod went unnoticed by referee Marco Guida. However, he had no hesitation in showing Leão yellow for a seemingly unwarranted dive in the box, eliciting a pat on the back from an approving Souček.
Euro 2024 in Leipzig added to the grandeur of the event, being the only city with an underground amphitheatre in walking distance from the central train station. Fans from varied backgrounds, especially those of Ronaldo from Asia and North America, flocked to the Red Bull Arena. They wore Ronaldo-themed attire, reflecting devotion and loyalty typically seen among fans of pop sensation Taylor Swift, affectionately referred to as Swifties. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they seamlessly integrated into the exuberant atmosphere.
The Czech enthusiasts’ large numbers were evident, thanks to Prague’s proximity – a mere three-hour drive across the border. The stadium came alive with the sight of Ronaldo warming up on the pitch to the energetic tune of “Kids” by MGMT, reminiscent of the beginning of his solo stadium tour. He remained the central figure in the majority of Portugal’s attacks, much to the delight of Hranáč and Vladimir Coufal, who each reveled in their aerial confrontations.
Hranáč’s performance was spectacular, reminiscent of Paul McGrath at the Giants stadium. All that was left was to score a surprise goal. Once it happened, the Czech fans could easily be spotted in the flooding sea of red. Famous figures like Provod and Hasek, saw their glory days return, echoing the victorious years of 1976 and 1996, but their joy was short-lived.
A dangerously risky pass unfortunately put an end to their celebratory mood. In the end, Conceição crushed their hopes of a draw, with Hranáč making a rare mistake under intense pressure.
Portugal’s team comprised of Costa, Dalot (Inacio on the 63rd minute), Pepe, Dias; Cancelo (who was replaced by Semedo in the 90th minute), Silva, Fernandes, Vitinha (Conceição replaced him in the 90th minute), Mendes (Neto replaced him in the 90th minute); Leão (Jota came on for him in the 63rd minute), and of course, Ronaldo.
The Czech Republic team included Stanek; Holes, Hranáč, Krejci; Coufal, Sulc (who was substituted by Sevcik in the 79th minute), Soucek, Provod (Barak replaced him in the 79th minute), Doudera; Kuchta (replaced by Lingr in the 60th minute), and Schick (Chytil came on for him in the 60th minute). The referee was Marco Guida from Italy.