Super-sub Conceicao earns stoppage-time win for Portugal on historic night for Ronaldo

Francisco Conceicao smashed home an injury-time winner to rescue all three points in Portugal’s Euro 2024 opener in a game that looked destined for a draw against a dogged Czech Republic side.

After a goalless first half, Lukas Provod put the underdogs ahead from outside the penalty area with a scorching shot worthy of the quickly bulging goal-of-the-tournament shortlist, after Portugal had dominated proceedings virtually from kick-off.

They replied just seven minutes later thanks to a Robin Hranac own-goal assisted by Jindrich Stanek who had an error-strewn performance between the sticks, but the game looked destined for a draw when Diogo Jota’s 88th-minute goal was ruled out for offside.

Roberto Martinez had other ideas though, making three substitutions for the final five minutes and two of those combined for the winner as Pedro Neto set up Conceicao for a dream start to his competitive international career.

The win means Portugal join fellow favourites England, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands in winning their first game of the tournament, but remain behind Turkey in Group F who are next on the fixture list.

While Portugal enjoyed 74% possession in Leipzig, Czechia didn’t exactly park the bus and were opened up several times after overcommitting in attack and losing the ball.

It was a fast-and-loose gameplan from the youngest side in the tournament and Patrik Schick could have put them ahead in the first half despite looking rusty at times having played just seven times for his country after lighting up Euro 2021.

But Provod’s goal was the first time Diogo Costa had been truly threatened in the Portuguese net, unable to reach a strike that was eerily similar to Nicolae Stanciu’s opener for Romania against Ukraine.

However, it would have taken a miracle for the Czech dam to hold given the number of defensive lapses, and Portugal’s substitutions all made a significant impact with under-pressure Martinez breathing an enormous sigh of relief at the full-time whistle.

With just eight teams eliminated after the group stage, this win could be enough to ensure round of 16 qualification regardless of their other two results, but this Portuguese performance didn’t resemble the only side to win all their Euro 2024 qualifiers boasting the best attacking and defensive records of any country.

Martinez opted for a three-man defence against one of the most toothless automatic qualifiers for this tournament, and must have feared the worst when his conservative starting XI was unlocked by Provod.

The legend had looked set to miss out on the starting XI until recently but struggled to leave an imprint on the game until he assisted that disallowed goal, often on a different wavelength to Portugal’s midfield magicians Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha.

While they now have two more games to gel before the knockouts, Martinez could consider switching to the back four that he’s also experimented with as Portugal boss, while Neto and Conceicao couldn’t have done more to push their case for selection after being given just five minutes on the field.

It was a game without too many standout candidates, as Provod’s beauty deserved at least a point for his side. But Silva remained patient as the link player for Portugal, combining particularly well with Vitinha despite Portugal proving there’s still work to be done.

PORTUGAL: Costa 5, Dias 7, Pepe 6, Mendes 6, Dalot 6, Fernandes 7, Vitinha 6, Cancelo 7, Silva 8, Ronaldo, Leao 7.

Subs: Jota 7, Inacio 6, Semedo 6, Neto 7, Conceicao 7

CZECHIA: Stanek 5, Hranac 5, Krejci 6, Holes 7, Soucek 7, Coufal 5, Doudera 6, Provod 8, Sulc 6, Schick 5, Kuchta 6.

Subs: Chytil 7, Lingr 7, Barak 6, Sevcik 6, Chory 6.

26’ – SO CLOSE TO 1-0! One of the big fascinations of tonight’s game was seeing how the Silva-Fernandes axis would perform and it nearly created the opener there, Coufal was caught in possession and Silva’s inch-perfect pass reached the United midfielder in a two-on-two opportunity. Fernandes whipped the ball in for 6’2″ Leao but he couldn’t quite stretch enough to reach it and the chance goes begging.

59’ – HAD TO SHOOT: He’ll want that one back. Silva ghosted into the Czech box as a gap opened up and had the chance to shoot, but chose instead to attempt a cross that was blocked by a sliding Robin Hramac. Absolutely crucial intervention. Meanwhile Ivan Hasek has removed Schick, possibly mindful of that yellow card.

62’ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 0-1 CZECHIA (PROVOD): It’s yet another screamer from outside the box and Czechia are ahead!!! Mojmir Chytil had only just come on but deserves a heap of credit for chasing an apparent lost cause of a cross, his return ball was headed away but Provod found himself in space and unleashed a thunderbolt curling across the goal that nestled in the corner to the right of a despairing Diogo Costa.

69’ – GOAL!! PORTUGAL 1-1 CZECHIA (HRANAC OG): You can’t keep a good side down though! Bernardo Silva sent the Czech defence backpedalling before pulling it back to Vitinha who lifted the ball to the back post, where Mendes did very well to keep it alive. Stanek parried the ball – always dangerous with such a crowded goalmouth – and Hranac is desperately unlucky to see it clang off his leg and into the net.

87’ – GOAL!!! PORTUGAL 2-1 CZECHIA (JOTA): Scored by Jota, made by guess who? RONALDO!! It was yet another cross aimed at Ronaldo by Cancelo and he thought he’d scored with a thumping header across goal. It slammed into the post but Jota was there first to turn it in, and Portugal lead for the first time! There is a VAR check though…

88’ – NO GOAL!!! PORTUGAL 1-1 CZECHIA: The semi-automated system makes the decision very quickly and Ronaldo’s shoulder was indeed offside, the Czech’s have a reprieve! That looked like the decisive moment but Portugal must go again.

90+2’ – GOAL!!!! PORTUGAL 2-1 CZECHIA (CONCEICAO): THIS TIME THEY’VE REALLY DONE IT!!! Neto surged into the box from the left flank and scorched a pass across the line of the six-yard box. Hranac is the unfortunate party once again, he slipped onto the ball and killed it for Conceicao to lash it home on his competitive debut and surely snatch the three points!