Just when it seemed Cristiano Ronaldo and his team were going to be given the cold shoulder in their opening game, substitute Conceicao scored from close range, sparking delirium in rain-lashed Leipzig.
Francisco Conceicao netted a dramatic winner for Portugal. The 21-year-old scored just a few minutes after coming off the bench. Portugal dominated possession and had the most shots by far.
Moments earlier, Ronaldo’s arm was adjudged offside as he headed against the post before Diogo Jota nodded in the rebound. But in the end, Portugal was not to be denied.
Ronaldo’s sixth Euros began with a reversal of the scoreline in the opening game of his first. It was 20 years ago that he made his major tournament debut at Euro 2004. Although the then-teenager grabbed his first international goal, hosts Portugal lost 2-1 to Greece. A few weeks later, they suffered even worse agony when the same opponents beat them in the final.
The Czech Republic seemed headed for a similar smash-and-grab raid when Lukas Provod gave them the lead with their first meaningful shot. An unfortunate own goal by Robin Hranac soon brought Portugal level, but Ivan Hasek’s side came agonizingly close to denying them victory.
The oldest swingers in town both started for Portugal. Pepe, at 41, overtook former Hungary and Crystal Palace goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly as the oldest player to appear at a European Championship finals. Ronaldo, at a mere 39, became the first man to contest six Euros. He was also extending his record number of appearances to 26. But the question was whether he could also add to his all-time landmarks of 14 goals and 12 wins.
So eager was the great man to get going that he was already several yards inside the Czech half when his team kicked off. And Portugal also came out of the traps fast, playing in a fluid 3-4-3 formation with Nuno Mendes as the left center-back and Joao Cancelo often inverting from wing-back into a midfield role. But for all their domination of possession and territory, they struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Between Ronaldo’s early mistimed header and his shot in first-half stoppage time that Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek beat away, they did not have another effort on target. Unless you count Ronaldo’s effort from a Bruno Fernandes through ball that Stanek also saved, but the Portuguese captain looked to have been just offside.
Rafael Leao was Martinez’s man most likely and was agonizingly close to meeting a Fernandes cross on the only occasion that the resolute Czechs were really carved open. Leao himself became frustrated enough to earn a yellow card for diving from no-nonsense Italian referee Marco Guida.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s keeper Diogo Costa had absolutely nothing to do except watch Patrik Schick fail to connect properly with a Vladimir Coufal cross in a very rare Czech attack.
Nothing changed after the break. Fantastic headers by Tomas Holes and Tomas Soucek stopped Ronaldo nodding Portugal in front. Stanek made a routine save from a less-than-vintage free kick from guess who. The Czech defending bordered on the heroic.
And then, incredibly, they scored. Coufal tidied up after an attack broke down and teed up Provod to curl a delicious shot into the net off Costa’s right-hand post.
At last, Martinez made use of his star-studded bench, bringing on Diogo Jota, and the equalizer was not long in coming. But it came from an unusual and, for the Czechs, unfortunate source. Stanek saved Nuno Mendes’ back-post header but the ball ricocheted back into the net off Robin Hranac.
Stanek saved from Bernardo Silva and Vitinha. Soucek fired just wide at the other end as the game entered the final 10 minutes. Jota celebrated prematurely after grabbing what he thought was the winner. But Conceicao, son of former Portugal star Sergio, did the family proud with his late strike.
PORTUGAL (3-5-2)
Diogo Costa – 6
Forty-five minutes passed without him facing a shot on target and he was a bystander in Leipzig up until he was beaten by a stunning strike. Will be left scratching his head how he didn’t leave the pitch with a clean sheet, such was the dominance.
Nuno Mendes – 7
Started on the left of a back three before being pushed further forward once Portugal went behind, the PSG full-back saw plenty of the ball and was more than willing to drive on as a ball carrier. His header at the back post led to the own goal equaliser.
Pepe – 6
At 41 he set a record as the oldest player to appear at a European Championships, but he didn’t look out of place among a sea of young guns. Was able to sit in and watch on for the most part as Portugal dominated – only to be undone by a special strike.
Ruben Dias – 6.5
Had very little to do in truth and he will know there are far tougher defensive assignments to come. He’s a calming presence and offers good leadership for coach Roberto Martinez.
Joao Cancelo – 6
Was given the license to roam such was Portugal’s dominance and the former Man City full-back spent much of the game in attacking areas. His best moment was a delightfully disguised pass to play in Bernardo Silva – but he needs to do more in the final third to merit playing there.
Vitinha – 6.5
A gem of a player who can turn on a postage stamp. His one-touch passing game can leave heads spinning and there were flashes here as to why he was named in the Champions League Team of the Season. Must become more decisive as the tournament wears on, though.
Bruno Fernandes – 7.5
The heartbeat of this team and he should have chalked up his first assist when flashing the ball across the box for a sliding Rafael Leao in the first half. He ran this game as Portugal’s quarterback and is the player each of his team-mates sought out in a bid to open Czechia up.
Bernardo Silva – 6.5
Neat and tidy as he always is but he didn’t do enough here to crack a stubborn Czechia rear-guard. Should have taken a shot instead of going for a pass inside the area when played in cleverly by Cancelo.
Diogo Dalot – 6
Has shown a willingness at Manchester United to drift inside and there was plenty of that here with little defensive work to do before he was taken off just after the hour. Needs to do better with his crossing with Ronaldo a constant target.
Cristiano Ronaldo – 6.5
Bagged 10 goals in qualifying and should have had at least another to his name here, were it not for some miscued finishes. Made some very clever runs to create space for himself but hasn’t got the threat of being able to run in behind which helps his markers.
Rafael Leao – 7
Should have made it 1-0 but couldn’t connect on the slide to meet Bruno Fernandes’ delicious cross in the first half. Was surprising to see him taken off as Portugal’s first chance but left himself walking a tightrope having been embarrassingly booked for diving.
COACH: Roberto Martinez – 8
Deserves an immense amount of credit for the match-winning impact his substitutions made. Is under the microscope at this tournament given the talent at his disposal and so to see his changes pay off will give him and everyone of a Portuguese persuasion a massive lift.
CZECHIA (3-5-2)
Jindřich Staněk – 6
Made a huge save to deny Ronaldo one v one at 0-0 but it was his error that caused Robin Hranac’s own goal. Needed to catch the ball when he panicked and parried the soaking wet ball in off his centre back.
Ladislav Krejčí – 6.5
The 25-year-old had his hands full but for the most part stood up to the task when isolated and targeted by Portugal. Deserves credit having been under pressure from the first whistle to the last.
Robin Hranáč – 5
Can consider himself very unlucky to have had an own goal chalked up against his name having seen the ball pushed onto him by the goalkeeper. Back three did well for the most part to create a wall but his own goal – and his slip for the second goal – was costly.
Tomáš Holeš – 6.5
Was kept busy covering Cancelo and Rafael Leao down Portugal’s left-hand side and made some crucial interceptions. Comes away with a lot of credit given he took on the toughest assignment.
David Douděra – 5.5
Was a relative non-factor on the night but he wasn’t alone in that. Should get more joy out wide against Turkey and Georgia.
Lukáš Provod – 6.5
Produced the wonder-strike which will go down in Czech football folklore. His finish made all the more remarkable given the fact he spent a lot of the game without the ball.
Tomáš Souček – 6
Played every minute of their qualification campaign and is so important to this team. Phenomenal header to deny Ronaldo a near certain goal at 0-0 set the tone for others to follow. The West Ham man is going to need to come up big for Czechia to progress.
Pavel Šulc – 5
Spent his evening chasing shadows across midfield in the teeming in Leipzig. Had very little left in the tank by the time he came off and will hope he can have a greater influence on proceedings in the supposed ‘easier’ games in the group.
Vladimír Coufal – 5.5
The West Ham man looked nervy early on with some very loose touches in his own third but soon settled down. Will need to become more of a threat going forward to help with the supply to the strikers.
Jan Kuchta – 4.5
Was a passenger for the hour he spent on the pitch. Must be so demoralising when your team only have 25 per cent of the ball and next to none of it goes to you. Should have paid an entrance fee.
Patrik Schick – 5
In the very few moments that Czechia managed to touch the ball while he was on the pitch, the Bayer Leverkusen forward was far too wasteful in giving it away. Was the first player to be hooked after picking up a yellow card in the pouring rain.
COACH: Ivan Hašek – 6.5
Knew his side would have little of the ball and at 1-1 he would have been pleased to have taken the point as a building block. His substitutions didn’t work as well as Martinez’s, ultimately.