Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 11:15 p.m. | Updated 11:25 p.m.
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Francisco Conceiçao, a supporting actor from Portugal, entered in stoppage time to seal the comeback against the Czech Republic and become the main protagonist on the night of records in Leipzig, a key center of classical music in which the composer Johann Sebastian died Bach and a city that has one of the oldest universities in Germany. The records were set, but Cristiano and Pepe, who between them are 80 years old, are incombustible. The striker became the first player to appear in six final phases of the Euro Cup and the center back became the oldest player in the history of the tournament.
They won ‘in extremis’ but Portugal, the last of the favorites to enter the fray, did not convince. Germany, France, Italy and Spain had won, and much more was expected from a team with plenty of victories in qualifying. But this victory leaves some doubts and calls into question Roberto Martínez’s management even in this appointment, which changed very late although the results will say that the bet paid off well.
Portugal
Diogo Costa, Cancelo (Semedo, min. 90), Dalot (Inácio, min. 63), Rubén Dias, Pepe, Nuno Mendes (Neto, min. 90), Bernardo Silva, Vitinha (Conceiçao, min. 90), Bruno Fernandes , Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafa Leao (Diogo Jota, min. 63).
2
–
1
Czech Republic
Stanek, Coufal, Hranac, Krejci, Holes (Chory, min. 90+3), Doudera, Soucek, Provod (Barak, min. 79), Sulc (Sevcik, min. 79), Kuchta (Lingr, min. 60) y Schick (Chityl, min. 60).
Goals: 0-1: min. 62, Provod. 1-1: min. 69, Hranak, own goal. 2-1: min. 92, Conceicao.
Referees: Marco Guida (Italy). Yellow for Schick, Rafael Leao and Conceiçao.
Incidences:
The Portuguese enjoy a magnificent selection, with four generations represented, and Roberto Martínez has a lot of good things to choose from, to the point that the replacement of Joao Félix is not debated. The Catalan maintains his confidence in the two veterans because they are “a source of inspiration” and “they represent everything that a professional can dream of.” As Rúben Dias said in the preview, everyone follows their leaders but there is no doubt that, especially Cristiano, conditions the way of playing. Even Karel Poborsky, Czech legend, warmed up the match by stating in the eve that for his compatriots it was preferable for the Madeira star to play.
Christian conditions
His numbers are indisputable, with ten goals in an immaculate qualifying phase, and his figure does not deserve controversy, but CR7 does not enjoy the speed, nor the imbalance, nor even the power of yesteryear. He has had to lose weight to continue at a high level and it shows. Of course, the predator instinct will never be lost. He intervened little but had two in the first act, one-way but without great suffering for the Czechs. First he headed a Rafael Leao cross in a semi-miss and then goalkeeper Stanek aborted a one-on-one. If it had been a goal, a VAR review because Cristiano was on the verge of being offside.
Vitinha, a perhaps underrated but omnipresent PSG midfielder, was the best of the Portuguese in that first period in which they could not get a hand on the Central Europeans. Rafael Leao also stood out, always a threat to Coufal, West Ham’s full-back, and we saw a little more of Bruno Fernandes than Bernando Silva in the middle. Behind, without any difficulty for the Portuguese, notable in their surveillance and defense of aerial balls.
The Portuguese circulated the ball well, patient to mature the match, but they found no openings against a steel rival. Seen from afar, the Czechs look like an army. Tall, strong, disciplined, attentive, concentrated and even short hair. In the family organized by Ivan Hasek, the midfielder Soucek, the team’s compass, and
Patrick Schick, forward who has completed a fantastic season at Xabi Alonso’s champion Leverkusen and who maintains a curious rivalry with Cristiano. Both were the top scorers in the last Euro Cup with five goals, although it was the Portuguese who won the game by playing one game less than his rival. Portugal, however, went out in the round of 16 and the Czechs reached the quarterfinals.
Again under heavy rain, Portugal accelerated after the break and further cornered their dedicated adversary. Stanek didn’t have to intervene, but the feeling was one of danger. Cristiano asked for them all. If his header didn’t hit, he tried his luck with a direct free kick from very far away. Next, gestures to encourage the public. The Portuguese had already taken ten corners, there was half an hour left and Bob Martínez still did not move the bench. Amazing.
They had not even gotten close, but the Czechs took advantage of a distraction to get ahead. Huge and distant shot from Proved, Slavia Prague midfielder. Already behind, Bob changed one center back for another and retired Leao for Diogo Jota. Question of gallons. Portugal suffered such an unexpected blow and began to lose itself in protests. Luckily for them they equalized with a stroke of fortune. Unnecessary clearance by the goalkeeper, who should have blocked instead of clearing Nuno Mendes’ shot, rebound and Hranek’s own goal. Until the end, harassment and demolition of the ‘Quinas’. Goal disallowed by Diogo Jota due to Cristiano’s prior offside in his shot against the post and glory for Conceiçao. The Czechs died on the shore.
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2024-06-18 21:25:51
#Conceiçao #stars #night #Pepe #Cristianos #records
