• PORTUGAL RATINGS: A spectator in the first half as the Czechs left him entirely untroubled. No chance for Provod’s goal - their only shot on target in the whole match. Reuters
    Diogo Costa 6/10
    PORTUGAL RATINGS: A spectator in the first half as the Czechs left him entirely untroubled. No chance for Provod’s goal - their only shot on target in the whole match. Reuters
    PORTUGAL RATINGS: A spectator in the first half as the Czechs left him entirely untroubled. No chance for Provod’s goal - their only shot on target in the whole match. Reuters
  • A very quiet first half. Needed to show more intent going forward and responded with a positive start to the second period, getting forward more and hitting a curling shot. Was substituted just after the hour for his troubles. AP
    Diogo Dalot 5/10
    A very quiet first half. Needed to show more intent going forward and responded with a positive start to the second period, getting forward more and hitting a curling shot. Was substituted just after the hour for his troubles. AP
    A very quiet first half. Needed to show more intent going forward and responded with a positive start to the second period, getting forward more and hitting a curling shot. Was substituted just after
  • A fair few sloppy passes from the 41-year-old - one almost letting Provod in on goal. Below-par performance from the veteran. AP
    Pepe 4/10
    A fair few sloppy passes from the 41-year-old - one almost letting Provod in on goal. Below-par performance from the veteran. AP
    A fair few sloppy passes from the 41-year-old - one almost letting Provod in on goal. Below-par performance from the veteran. AP
  • Quietly efficient as always. Produced a brilliant defensive header to snuff out danger from a superb Coufal cross. Good cross for a Ronaldo header. Vital last-ditch block in the box late in the game. AFP
    Ruben Dias 6/10
    Quietly efficient as always. Produced a brilliant defensive header to snuff out danger from a superb Coufal cross. Good cross for a Ronaldo header. Vital last-ditch block in the box late in the game. AFP
    Quietly efficient as always. Produced a brilliant defensive header to snuff out danger from a superb Coufal cross. Good cross for a Ronaldo header. Vital last-ditch block in the box late in the game.
  • Made some surging bursts forward. He gives his side something different with his very direct running through the middle. Beautiful ball to free Bernardo Silva in the box. EPA
    Joao Cancelo 6/10
    Made some surging bursts forward. He gives his side something different with his very direct running through the middle. Beautiful ball to free Bernardo Silva in the box. EPA
    Made some surging bursts forward. He gives his side something different with his very direct running through the middle. Beautiful ball to free Bernardo Silva in the box. EPA
  • Given a roaming brief to pop up all over the pitch. Great ball to free Fernandes, who put in a centre that Leao was inches from converting. His threat level stepped up markedly in the second half. Lovely ball into the danger zone that led to the own goal that drew Portugal level. AFP
    Bernardo Silva 8/10
    Given a roaming brief to pop up all over the pitch. Great ball to free Fernandes, who put in a centre that Leao was inches from converting. His threat level stepped up markedly in the second half. Lovely ball into the danger zone that led to the own goal that drew Portugal level. AFP
    Given a roaming brief to pop up all over the pitch. Great ball to free Fernandes, who put in a centre that Leao was inches from converting. His threat level stepped up markedly in the second half. Lov
  • His usual intelligent use of the ball, playing clever passes and seeing things others don't. Dipping shot just over the bar on 23 minutes. Beautiful threaded pass to set up a good chance for Ronaldo. Always probing for ways to hurt the opposition. AFP
    Bruno Fernandes 7/10
    His usual intelligent use of the ball, playing clever passes and seeing things others don't. Dipping shot just over the bar on 23 minutes. Beautiful threaded pass to set up a good chance for Ronaldo. Always probing for ways to hurt the opposition. AFP
    His usual intelligent use of the ball, playing clever passes and seeing things others don't. Dipping shot just over the bar on 23 minutes. Beautiful threaded pass to set up a good chance for Ronaldo.
  • Another who was given free rein to wander within a very fluid set-up. Must have covered every blade of grass. A very lively contribution: playing sharp passes, showing good movement and tackling back when required. Lovely square ball to tee up a Cancelo shot. AP
    Vitinha 7/10
    Another who was given free rein to wander within a very fluid set-up. Must have covered every blade of grass. A very lively contribution: playing sharp passes, showing good movement and tackling back when required. Lovely square ball to tee up a Cancelo shot. AP
    Another who was given free rein to wander within a very fluid set-up. Must have covered every blade of grass. A very lively contribution: playing sharp passes, showing good movement and tackling back
  • Hit a speculative long-range shot when he'd have been better passing the ball. Leapt well to win the header that led to the equaliser. AFP
    Nuno Mendes 6/10
    Hit a speculative long-range shot when he'd have been better passing the ball. Leapt well to win the header that led to the equaliser. AFP
    Hit a speculative long-range shot when he'd have been better passing the ball. Leapt well to win the header that led to the equaliser. AFP
  • A nearly night for the great man. Had plenty of chances but lacked his usual lethal touch - although bad luck played its part. Was marginally offside when he rose brilliantly at the back post to hit the upright with a driving header that Jota nodded home before it was chalked off. It summed up his night. He was not quite on his A game but he didn't get the breaks either. AFP
    Cristiano Ronaldo 6/10
    A nearly night for the great man. Had plenty of chances but lacked his usual lethal touch - although bad luck played its part. Was marginally offside when he rose brilliantly at the back post to hit the upright with a driving header that Jota nodded home before it was chalked off. It summed up his night. He was not quite on his A game but he didn't get the breaks either. AFP
    A nearly night for the great man. Had plenty of chances but lacked his usual lethal touch - although bad luck played its part. Was marginally offside when he rose brilliantly at the back post to hit t
  • Great pressing to win the ball and create an early chance for Ronaldo. He will loom large in Coufal's nightmares. He beat the right-back almost at will but didn’t quite deliver enough end product. AP
    Rafael Leao 6/10
    Great pressing to win the ball and create an early chance for Ronaldo. He will loom large in Coufal's nightmares. He beat the right-back almost at will but didn’t quite deliver enough end product. AP
    Great pressing to win the ball and create an early chance for Ronaldo. He will loom large in Coufal's nightmares. He beat the right-back almost at will but didn’t quite deliver enough end product. AP
  • SUBS: (On for Leao, 63’): Showed pace and willingness. Excellent poacher’s finish for what he thought was the winner – before the intervention of VAR. AFP
    Diogo Jota 6/10
    SUBS: (On for Leao, 63’): Showed pace and willingness. Excellent poacher’s finish for what he thought was the winner – before the intervention of VAR. AFP
    SUBS: (On for Leao, 63’): Showed pace and willingness. Excellent poacher’s finish for what he thought was the winner – before the intervention of VAR. AFP
  • (On for Dalot, 63’): Not a huge effect on the proceedings. AFP
    Goncalo Inacio 5/10
    (On for Dalot, 63’): Not a huge effect on the proceedings. AFP
    (On for Dalot, 63’): Not a huge effect on the proceedings. AFP
  • (On for Nuno Mendes, 90’): His contribution was short and sweet. His direct running and cross created the winner. EPA
    Pedro Neto 6/10
    (On for Nuno Mendes, 90’): His contribution was short and sweet. His direct running and cross created the winner. EPA
    (On for Nuno Mendes, 90’): His contribution was short and sweet. His direct running and cross created the winner. EPA
  • (On for Vitinha, 90’): What an impact. Straight off the bench to score the winner; Nelson Semedo (on for Cancelo, 90'): N/A. AFP
    Francisco Conceicao 7/10
    (On for Vitinha, 90’): What an impact. Straight off the bench to score the winner; Nelson Semedo (on for Cancelo, 90'): N/A. AFP
    (On for Vitinha, 90’): What an impact. Straight off the bench to score the winner; Nelson Semedo (on for Cancelo, 90'): N/A. AFP
  • Came out smartly to make a fantastic one-handed save to deny Ronaldo. Another good save from Ronaldo just before half time. Equal to everything until his terrible blunder to palm the ball against Hranac to cause the own goal for Portugal's equaliser. Should have caught the ball, despite the wet conditions. AP
    Jindrich Stanek 5/10
    Came out smartly to make a fantastic one-handed save to deny Ronaldo. Another good save from Ronaldo just before half time. Equal to everything until his terrible blunder to palm the ball against Hranac to cause the own goal for Portugal's equaliser. Should have caught the ball, despite the wet conditions. AP
    Came out smartly to make a fantastic one-handed save to deny Ronaldo. Another good save from Ronaldo just before half time. Equal to everything until his terrible blunder to palm the ball against Hran
  • Showed great positional sense to (ahem) dig his side out of several holes. Booked for catching Leao soon after the break. Did enough to prevent Ronaldo from getting a clear header on goal in the six-yard box. Stuck to his defensive duties manfully. EPA
    Tomas Holes 6/10
    Showed great positional sense to (ahem) dig his side out of several holes. Booked for catching Leao soon after the break. Did enough to prevent Ronaldo from getting a clear header on goal in the six-yard box. Stuck to his defensive duties manfully. EPA
    Showed great positional sense to (ahem) dig his side out of several holes. Booked for catching Leao soon after the break. Did enough to prevent Ronaldo from getting a clear header on goal in the six-y
  • An excellent performance marred by some late misfortune. Inexperienced but he showed plenty of savvy and composure. Stole the ball from Vitinha as he burst into the box. Sliding block to deny Bernardo Silva. Nothing he could do about the own goal. Slipped in the build-up to Neto’s winner. EPA
    Robin Hranac 6/10
    An excellent performance marred by some late misfortune. Inexperienced but he showed plenty of savvy and composure. Stole the ball from Vitinha as he burst into the box. Sliding block to deny Bernardo Silva. Nothing he could do about the own goal. Slipped in the build-up to Neto’s winner. EPA
    An excellent performance marred by some late misfortune. Inexperienced but he showed plenty of savvy and composure. Stole the ball from Vitinha as he burst into the box. Sliding block to deny Bernardo
  • Made some alert interceptions. Showed good reading of the game. Excellent clearing header to deny Ronaldo a good opportunity. EPA
    Ladislav Krejci 6/10
    Made some alert interceptions. Showed good reading of the game. Excellent clearing header to deny Ronaldo a good opportunity. EPA
    Made some alert interceptions. Showed good reading of the game. Excellent clearing header to deny Ronaldo a good opportunity. EPA
  • A mixed bag to say the least. Given the cold sweats by the raw pace of Leao, who provoked a severe case of the jitters in the West Ham man. He gave ball away frequently in defence but produced some excellent crosses going forward. A night he will want to forget overall, though. Reuters
    Vladimir Coufal 5/10
    A mixed bag to say the least. Given the cold sweats by the raw pace of Leao, who provoked a severe case of the jitters in the West Ham man. He gave ball away frequently in defence but produced some excellent crosses going forward. A night he will want to forget overall, though. Reuters
    A mixed bag to say the least. Given the cold sweats by the raw pace of Leao, who provoked a severe case of the jitters in the West Ham man. He gave ball away frequently in defence but produced some ex
  • Put in a solid, hardworking shift. Grafted his socks off before being replaced by Sevcik towards the end of the game. EPA
    Pavel Sulc 6/10
    Put in a solid, hardworking shift. Grafted his socks off before being replaced by Sevcik towards the end of the game. EPA
    Put in a solid, hardworking shift. Grafted his socks off before being replaced by Sevcik towards the end of the game. EPA
  • One of his side's brighter sparks. Made a good block as Cancelo shot from the edge of the box. Showed flashes of creativity as he tried to make things happen. Should have done better with a tired shot from outside the box. AFP
    Tomas Soucek 6/10
    One of his side's brighter sparks. Made a good block as Cancelo shot from the edge of the box. Showed flashes of creativity as he tried to make things happen. Should have done better with a tired shot from outside the box. AFP
    One of his side's brighter sparks. Made a good block as Cancelo shot from the edge of the box. Showed flashes of creativity as he tried to make things happen. Should have done better with a tired shot
  • Made plenty of positive runs. Conjured a stunning strike for his side’s opener. EPA
    Lukas Provod 7/10
    Made plenty of positive runs. Conjured a stunning strike for his side’s opener. EPA
    Made plenty of positive runs. Conjured a stunning strike for his side’s opener. EPA
  • Tried to inject pace on the left wing but didn’t get much change out of Dalot or Dias early on. Did well to track and close down Bernardo Silva at the edge of the Czech box. Great ball into the box just before the goal. Reuters
    David Doudera 7/10
    Tried to inject pace on the left wing but didn’t get much change out of Dalot or Dias early on. Did well to track and close down Bernardo Silva at the edge of the Czech box. Great ball into the box just before the goal. Reuters
    Tried to inject pace on the left wing but didn’t get much change out of Dalot or Dias early on. Did well to track and close down Bernardo Silva at the edge of the Czech box. Great ball into the box ju
  • Pressed the Portuguese back line well. Gave the ball away carelessly to allow a Portugal attack. Didn’t offer a great deal threat up front. Replaced by Lingr on the hour. AP
    Jan Kuchta 5/10
    Pressed the Portuguese back line well. Gave the ball away carelessly to allow a Portugal attack. Didn’t offer a great deal threat up front. Replaced by Lingr on the hour. AP
    Pressed the Portuguese back line well. Gave the ball away carelessly to allow a Portugal attack. Didn’t offer a great deal threat up front. Replaced by Lingr on the hour. AP
  • Looked rusty. Hindered his side by giving the ball away cheaply too often. Wasteful when he hit a cross straight out for a goal kick in a good position. Gave a way a free kick in a dangerous spot on the edge of the area. AP
    Patrik Schick 4/10
    Looked rusty. Hindered his side by giving the ball away cheaply too often. Wasteful when he hit a cross straight out for a goal kick in a good position. Gave a way a free kick in a dangerous spot on the edge of the area. AP
    Looked rusty. Hindered his side by giving the ball away cheaply too often. Wasteful when he hit a cross straight out for a goal kick in a good position. Gave a way a free kick in a dangerous spot on t
  • SUBS: (On for, Kutcha, 60’): Did well. Brought an injection of pace and energy. Good run in the build-up to the Czech opener. Really got stuck in and produced some good moments for his side. AFP
    Ondrej Lingr 7/10
    SUBS: (On for, Kutcha, 60’): Did well. Brought an injection of pace and energy. Good run in the build-up to the Czech opener. Really got stuck in and produced some good moments for his side. AFP
    SUBS: (On for, Kutcha, 60’): Did well. Brought an injection of pace and energy. Good run in the build-up to the Czech opener. Really got stuck in and produced some good moments for his side. AFP
  • (On for Shtick, 61’): Another introduction who made a positive impact. In the mix in the build-up to the goal. Made some good runs forward. AFP
    Mojmir Chytil 6/10
    (On for Shtick, 61’): Another introduction who made a positive impact. In the mix in the build-up to the goal. Made some good runs forward. AFP
    (On for Shtick, 61’): Another introduction who made a positive impact. In the mix in the build-up to the goal. Made some good runs forward. AFP
  • (On for Provod, 79’): Impressive substitution. Showed strength, belief and nous in possession. Battled well when his side needed an injection of confidence. Lovely dinked ball into the box late in the game. Getty Images
    Antonin Barak 7/10
    (On for Provod, 79’): Impressive substitution. Showed strength, belief and nous in possession. Battled well when his side needed an injection of confidence. Lovely dinked ball into the box late in the game. Getty Images
    (On for Provod, 79’): Impressive substitution. Showed strength, belief and nous in possession. Battled well when his side needed an injection of confidence. Lovely dinked ball into the box late in the
  • (On for Sulk, 80’): Did fairly well; Chory (for, Holes 93’): N/A. AP
    Petr Sevcik N/A
    (On for Sulk, 80’): Did fairly well; Chory (for, Holes 93’): N/A. AP
    (On for Sulk, 80’): Did fairly well; Chory (for, Holes 93’): N/A. AP

Sport

Football

Portugal v Czech Republic player ratings: Ronaldo 6, Bernardo Silva 8; Schick 4, Barak 7

Roberto Martinez's side fight back from a goal down to win Euro 2024 opener 2-1

Stuart James
Stuart James

June 19, 2024

  • English
  • Arabic

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal battled back to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 thanks to substitute Francisco Conceicao's late winner in their opening Group F game on Tuesday.

Roberto Martinez's side went a goal down against the run of play after a brilliant strike just after the hour by Czech Republic's Lukas Provod.

Portugal had dominated possession but couldn't find the goal their superiority deserved, with their record scorer Ronaldo going close on several occasions.

The Al Nassr man, who was top scorer in last season's Saudi Pro League, was denied twice in the first half by saves from Czech keeper Jindrich Stanek and the 2016 European champions were caught by a sucker punch when Provod scored with a sweet strike from outside the box on 62 minutes.

Stanek then handed the Portuguese a lifeline when he parried a Nuno Mendes header against defender Robin Hranac and the ball bounced into the back of the net.

Portugal substitute Diogo Jota thought he had grabbed the winner when he pounced to nod home after a powerful Ronaldo header had struck the post but a VAR check ruled that Ronaldo had been offside in the build-up.

It was left to another substitute, Conceicao, to make sure that Ronaldo got his record sixth European Championship campaign off to a winning start as he scored from close range in stoppage time.

Portugal's Spanish coach Martinez said the 21-year-old Porto winger deserved his moment of glory.

"Francisco is the ultimate example of earning it. He deserves to be here and showed he is ready to help the group," Martinez told reporters.

"Francisco is doing what he's been doing for the past four months in his club team. This is not easy. He showed character and showed his worth because he was allowed to be here.

"Francisco is a very mature player. He plays very direct. He's got a nose for danger in the box.

"For a national team coach and having a player that showed what he showed, it's very important."

The former Belgium coach praised his players' attitude in fighting back against a tough Czech team.

"We conceded – a goal down – and managed to win the game," he said. "We lost against Slovenia after conceding the first goal, Croatia the same thing happened [both in friendlies]. Today we conceded and won.

"We all want to grow together during this tournament, we played the perfect 90 minutes to be able to grow – next we face off against Turkey."

Portugal meet Turkey on Saturday, while the Czech Republic face Georgia, who lost 3-1 to the Turks in Tuesday's earlier kick off.

Updated: June 19, 2024, 6:06 AM
PortugalCzech RepublicEuro 2024