The attraction of the Portuguese team and Ronaldo at EURO 2024 is unquestionable. More than 10,000 fans were present to watch the highest rated team in Group F practice before the match against the Czech Republic said it all. At the age of 39, Ronaldo set a record when he made his 6th appearance at EURO . His close friend Pepe was also placed in the starting lineup by coach Roberto Martinez, becoming the oldest player to ever play in the tournament (41 years and 113 days). In addition to these two veteran players, the Portuguese team also plays with many high-class players such as Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao, and Ruben Dias. A big victory, affirming its position as a championship candidate is definitely what the Portuguese team is aiming for.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic team is not much different from EURO 2020 – where they were the “dark horse”. Coach Ivan Hasek did not hide his intention to score points by sending the best players such as Patrik Schick, Tomas Soucek, and Vladimir Coufal onto the field.

Ronaldo (right cover) and Pepe (left cover) set new EURO records

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Being underestimated, the Czech Republic team is not afraid of their opponents. Tomas Soucek is positioned to play lowest in the middle and he helps his teammates coordinate the ball extremely well. In the first minutes, the Czech Republic team entered the game with excitement and caused many difficulties on the Portuguese right wing.

However, with their superior class, it is not difficult for Portugal to regain control of the ball. In the first half, “European Selecao” held the ball 75%, had 9 shots and performed a variety of attacks. The trio of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Vitinha often change positions. Rafael Leao with his speed and technique also tormented the Czech Republic team’s defense on the left wing. The only destination in the Portuguese team’s routes to the ball is none other than Ronaldo.

Rafael Leao stands out on the Portuguese team’s аttаck line

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Ronaldo still brings a lot of dаnger even though he is 39 years old

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After a period of struggling, the Portuguese team had a dangerous situation in the 26th minute. Bernardo Silva, after pulling the ball, made a convenient pass to Bruno Fernandes on the right wing. In an empty position, the midfielder wearing the number 8 shirt of Portugal stretched for Rafael Leao to run in to cushion the ball, but the AC Milan player was a step slow.

Following Rafael Leao, Ronaldo was given a chance in the 32nd minute. The Portuguese captain moved smartly, catching a delicate pass from his teammate to face goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek. However, luck was once again not on Ronaldo’s side when he kicked the ball and touched the opponent’s hand. At the end of the first half, the striker wearing shirt number 7 was given another chance, but Ronaldo’s turn and shot only left the fans with regret.

Ronaldo had many opportunities but could not score in the first half

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Deadlocked in the first half, the Portuguese team increased the tempo of the аttаck in the second half. Coach Roberto Martinez also changed аttаck plans as his team often put pressure on the right wing.

But attacking a lot but not being able to score, the Portuguese team paid the price in the 62nd minute. In a rare move by the Czech Republic team, the ball was suԀԀenly brought to Lukas Provod’s position in an empty position. . The Portuguese team’s defense was completely passive and the midfielder wearing the number 14 shirt of the Czech Republic freely watched and shot to defeat goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

The Portuguese team’s defense was subjective and conceded a goal

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Lukas Provod is the owner of the beautiful goal against the Portuguese team

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Receiving a goal, the Portuguese team appeared confused on the оffensive front. Ronaldo and his teammates often failed passes and had many difficulties against the Czech Republic’s deep-lying squad. But when the Portuguese team remained deadlocked, the Czech defense made a mistake when Robin Hranac scored an own goal, bringing the match back to the starting line. More worth mentioning, Robin Hranac was the best Czech player from the beginning of the match with a series of accurate saves.

Robin Hranac (No. 4) scored an own goal, helping the Portuguese team equalize

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The last minutes witnessed the terrible pressure that the Portuguese team exerted in front of the Czech Republic’s goal. In the 87th minute, after Ronaldo’s header Һit the post, Diogo Jota put the ball into the Czech Republic’s net. However, VAR stepped in and determined that Ronaldo was offside, and the Portuguese team’s goal was not recognized. 

It seemed like the match would end in a draw, but coach Roberto Martinez’s changes were effective. Francisco Conceicao entered the field in the 90th minute and in just about 1 minute, he kicked the ball into the Czech Republic’s net, sealing a difficult 2-1 comeback for the Portuguese team.

The Portuguese team went upstream thanks to an unexpecteԀ face

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Winning the match 2-1 against the Czech Republic, it is clear that the Portuguese team still has a lot of work to do. Coach Roberto Martinez’s students ranked 2nd in Group F, with the same 3 points as the Turkish team but poor in sub-index. In the next match, Ronaldo and his teammates will face this same opponent.