A late goal by Portugal substitute Francisco Conceicao secured a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening Group F game at Euro 2024, where they also needed an own goal as they came from behind to snatch victory.
As Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to feature at a sixth European Championship, Portugal dominated possession and had the lion’s share of the chances but it was the Czech’s who took the lead in the 62nd minute when Lukas Provod whipped a stunning strike into the far corner.
Seven minutes later Portugal were level when Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek pushed away a header from Nuno Mendes but only as far as the leg of Robin Hranac and the ball ricocheted into the defender’s own net. The game was in added time when Conceicao tapped in from close range after a defensive mistake from Hranac to give Portugal the win
Follow all the latest reaction in our live blog below, as well as the news from the day’s other games:
Is Croatia vs Albania on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch Euro 2024 fixture online tomorrow
The first game of today marks the beginning of the second round of group fixtures. We start with Group B, where Croatia meet Albania.
Croatia go into the second game of their Euro 2024 campaign knowing only a win is an acceptable result as they chase qualification for the round of 16.
Luka Modric’s side slumped to a disappointing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Spain in their Group B opener, and though qualification hopes are very much still alive, it was an alarming performance from the World Cup semi-finalists.
Albania’s tournament couldn’t have started more positively, with Nedim Bajrami scoring the quickest goal in tournament history after just 23 seconds. Nevertheless, they went on to lose 2-1 to holders Italy, despite putting in a spirited performance.
The match will kick off at 2pm BST on Wednesday 19 June at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, and it will be shown live on ITV 1 and ITV X with coverage starting at 1pm. You can find a full list of which channel is showing each match here.
From there, things should get harder but if England can top Group C then a third-placed qualifier from either Group D, E or F will be their opponents in the last 16, before a quarter-final potentially against Germany, Spain or Italy. Win that and they would be just two victories away from glory.
Three years ago in the same competition, England agonisingly fell short at the final hurdle when they were beaten to the trophy by Italy, losing on penalties in the final at Wembley Stadium. This time, Gareth Southgatewill be hoping to lead his side to their first major men’s trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
A closer look at England’s possible route to the Euro 2024 final
Chris Wilson19 June 2024 06:00
How England’s missing Euro 2024 ingredient was highlighted by a most unexpected source
It perhaps says a lot about England’s performance that, other than Jude Bellingham’s goal, one of the most noteworthy elements of the night was a comment by the Manchester United manager. Erik ten Hag was a pundit on Dutch television and came out with a fairly stark assessment of the 1-0 win over Serbia.
“It’s the vision of the manager,” Ten Hag said. “England will take a 1-0 lead, then he decides to start gambling with making his team compact and relying on moments for the remaining minutes of the game.”
There is a lot going on here, and a lot of context. Above anything, Ten Hag knows that United’s Ineos hierarchy see Gareth Southgate as his potential successor. That could even have been this summer.
Given that, and especially with how some of the words could apply to his own United displays, it was some brass neck from Ten Hag. His statement was maybe even bolder than anything any England player did on the night outside Bellingham.
That is also why there is truth to it, no matter who said it.
England should build a team around Phil Foden. Gareth Southgate doesn’t play him in the same role as Pep Guardiola. Foden’s best position is No 10. England haven’t got the best out of him.
There are variants on a theme but common denominators to the discussions around Foden. One game against Serbia – and one match of tournament football is often a time when premature conclusions about England are drawn – with no Foden shots, and an underwhelming performance, flagged them up. And yet there are answers; some ignored, some inconvenient, some merely recognition of realities.
England could build a team around Foden. But they cannot simultaneously build one around Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice. In any case, the Real Madrid team is not built around Bellingham, but built with him. The Manchester City team is not built around Foden; sometimes his position shifts according to whether Kevin De Bruyne is fit, or according to whether Guardiola wants the security of an extra central midfielder, such as Mateo Kovacic, or the width of a specialist winger, like Jack Grealish or Jeremy Doku.
The Premier League’s player of the season was on the periphery of England’s edgy win over Serbia but he is still learning his place in a relatively new midfield alongside Jude Bellingham
Chris Wilson19 June 2024 04:00
24 touches and one shot: Harry Kane’s quiet night for England - and why it may not be a bad thing
By half-time in Gelsenkirchen, Harry Kane was doing his best Erling Haaland impression. Not in terms of goalscoring feats, but by standing on the periphery, waiting for his moment. If Haaland has cracked the code to produce the displays of the most ruthless efficiency since arriving in the Premier League, averaging a goal a game while barely having a touch for dominant Manchester City, England, it seems, have a similar plan for their captain.
Except when Kane comes away from England’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia having touched the ball just 24 times, including just twice in the first half, the logic of isolating the tournament’s leading striker can come into question. Kane was largely anonymous against Serbia as Gareth Southgate’s side held on to claim a narrow and nervy 1-0 win, having the fewest touches and passes (nine from 12 attempts) in England’s starting line-up. That, however, does not necessarily mean it is a bad thing.
While Jude Bellingham ran the show against Serbia, the England captain appeared to contribute little. Except, in a more subtle way, he did
Chris Wilson19 June 2024 03:00
France provide Kylian Mbappe injury update after suffering broken nose at Euro 2024
France captain Kylian Mbappe does not require surgery and will play with a mask at Euro 2024 to protect his “broken nose” after being left covered in blood in his side’s 1-0 win over Austria.
The victory was overshadowed by Mbappe’s worrying facial injury in the closing stages of the match in Dusseldorf. The Real Madrid superstar, who was booked after re-entering the pitch following treatment, was pictured leaving the stadium in an ambulance after the game.
France have detailed the diagnosis for Mbappe and the next steps before Les Bleus face Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday.
Mbappe was booked following the injury after he tried to re-enter the pitch following treatment and the Real Madrid superstar was later taken to hospital
Chris Wilson19 June 2024 02:00
Brawls, biblical rain and wonder goals: How Turkey vs Georgia turned Euro 2024 upside down
You’d be forgiven for having earmarked Turkey vs Georgia as the most low-key fixture of the Euro 2024 group stage. After all, the combined ranking of the teams was the most modest at the tournament so far, and Georgia entered Group F with no European Championship experience to their name. This game, though? It turned into something far beyond a football match.
But when that violence began, as water spilt through the roof of the arena and fans spilt from their seats to attack one another, questions arose. Would the game go ahead, and if it were to, would it even resemble a football match?
Turkey 3-1 Georgia: Fan violence and storms added an edge to the Group F game before it had even kicked off
Chris Wilson19 June 2024 01:00
How Portugal’s unexpected decision with Cristiano Ronaldo made them huge Euro 2024 contenders
When Roberto Martinez first took the Portugal job in January 2023, in a move that wasn’t exactly universally celebrated, there was one source of tension weighing over everything. The Catalan was expected to make the final decision on Cristiano Ronaldo‘s international future. Predecessor Fernando Santos had already started the process by leaving the Portuguese great out of the 2022 World Cup last-16 thrashing of Switzerland, with Ronaldo then decamping to the Saudi Pro League, which should have made the decision even easier.
It instead made what happened next all the more surprising. There was no tension between Ronaldo and Martinez. The new manager kept him in the squad, but also further integrated him into the team. While there had been a feeling that Martinez might be creating a huge problem for himself, it has instead proved the opposite. It’s been a non-issue, with Ronaldo remaining a productive player.
He scored 10 goals in qualifying, but that was as a part of a supremely talented team rather than the focus of everything.
Roberto Martinez opted out of following predecessor Fernando Santos’ path with the record goalscorer
Chris Wilson19 June 2024 00:30
Euro 2024 fixtures: Schedule, results and kick-off times at European Championship
The second round of group games begins straight away tomorrow afternoon, and it begins with Croatia vs Albania at 2pm BST.
Below is the full schedule for Euro 2024, plus below you can see day-by-day fixtures and times (BST) in text form, with the knockout games and reports to be included as the tournament progresses.
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