The Czech footballers lost 0: 2 in Portugal and did not score for the first time in the third match of the A2 group of the League of Nations.
The winners of the first year of the competition and the European champions from 2016 decided a direct battle for the leading position in the table in the opening act, when Joao Cancelo and Goncalo Guedes hit in the 33rd and 38th minutes.
The biggest Portuguese star and historically the best scorer of the national teams Cristiano Ronaldo did not succeed this time and only scored a yellow card.
The Czech team did not follow up on a 2: 1 home win over Switzerland and a 2: 2 draw with Spain, and after the group’s half, it has four points.
The table is led by Portugal, the second with five points is Spain, which thanks to the goal of Sarabia won 1-0 in Switzerland in the 13th minute and on whose field the charges of coach Jaroslav Šilhavý will end the June program on Sunday. Switzerland closes the group without a point.
The 50,000-strong José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon was almost sold out and there was a great atmosphere in the stands from the beginning. As expected, the Portuguese, with five-time Golden Ball holder Ronald at the top, held the ball most of the time and combined, but the guests had the first two chances.
In the 17th minute, after Havel’s push, Sadílek fired over and after half an hour in an even greater chance, Kuchta was caught by the Costa goalkeeper. Lokomotiv Moscow’s striker did not follow two goals from duels with the Swiss and the Spaniards.
On the contrary, the Portuguese struck from their initial chance. Cancelo swapped the ball with Bernard Silva in the 33rd minute and shot the goalkeeper Staňka with a shot from the side on the back post, who this time took precedence over the number one Vaclík. The Manchester City defender scored for the second time in a row.
Five minutes later, the home favorite struck from the second major opportunity and Silva reassigned his assistance. Guedes ran onto his pass, and although the ball did not hit perfectly, he overcame the Czech goalkeeper with an attempt from the side on the back post. The offensive midfielder of Valencia made his mark in the national team for the first time since the autumn of 2019.
Coach Šilhavý changed three times at half-time and one of the fresh players, Jureček, finished the promising break three by two with a shot outside after an hour of play. Guedes, on the other hand, demanded in vain a penalty. Ronaldo then did not beat Staňka with a ground shot and did not expand the balance of 117 goals for the national team.
On the other hand, in another escape he aimed again next to Jureček. Shortly afterwards, the newcomer Vlkanova started to premiere in the national team and in the 86th minute, after a mistake in the home defense, he was able to embellish it with a goal, but he missed himself in front of Costa.
The Portuguese, who, unlike the Czech team, advanced from the playoffs to the autumn world championships in Qatar in March, have already watched the end and won each other for the third time in a row. Previously, they succeeded on the Euro in 2008 and 2012. Coach Santos celebrated his 100th anniversary match on the Portuguese bench.
The Czech team is playing elite Division A for the first time in the third year of the League of Nations. The group winner will advance to the Final Four, while the worst team will go down to level B.
The League of Nations largely replaces preparatory matches and gives teams an additional chance to advance to the European or World Championships. Twelve teams that will not make it to Euro 2024 in Germany from the classic qualification should compete for the remaining three places in the championship in the playoffs.
3rd League Group A2 match of the League of Nations in Lisbon:
Portugal – Czech Republic 2: 0 (2: 0)
Goals: 33. Cancelo, 38. Guedes. Judges: Jug – Žunič, Vidali – Obrenovič (video, all Slovenia). ŽK: Carvalho, Ronaldo, Leao, Cancelo – Souček, Matějů. Attendance: 44,100.
Portugalsko: Costa – Cancelo, Pepe, Danilo Pereira, Guerreiro – B. Silva (68. Vitinha), Neves (88. Moutinho), Carvalho (68. Fernandes) – Guedes (88. Palhinha), Ronaldo, Jota (80. Leao ). Trainer: Santos.
Czechia: Staněk – Zima, Brabec, Matějů (80. Král) – Coufal, Souček, Sadílek, Havel (46. Jemelka) – Lingr (46. Pešek), Kuchta (46. Jurečka), Hložek (73. Vlkanova). Coach: Squinting.
Switzerland – Spain 0: 1 (0: 1)
Branka: 13. Sarabia.
| 1. | Portugal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7:1 | 7 |
| 2. | Spain | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4:3 | 5 |
| 3. | Czechia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4:5 | 4 |
| 4. | Switzerland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1:7 | 0 |
Group B4:
Sweden – Serbia 0: 1 (0: 1)
Branka: 45. + 3 Jovic.
Norway – Slovenia 0: 0
ČK: 63. Blažič (Slovenian).
| 1. | Norway | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3:1 | 7 |
| 2. | Serbia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5:2 | 6 |
| 3. | Sweden | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:3 | 3 |
| 4. | Slovenia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1:6 | 1 |
Group C2:
Kosovo – Northern Ireland 3: 2 (2: 1)
Goals: 9. with pen. and 52. Muriqi, 19. Bytyqi – 45. Lavery, 83. Ballard.
Greece – Cyprus 3: 0 (2: 0)
Branky: 8. Bakasetas, 21. Pavlidis, 48. Limnios.
| 1. | Greece | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 9 |
| 2. | Kosovo | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5:3 | 6 |
| 3. | Northern Ireland | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:4 | 1 |
| 4. | Cyprus | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0:5 | 1 |
Group C4:
Gibraltar – Bulgaria 1: 1 (0: 1)
Goals: 61. Walker – 45. + 1 Minčev.
North Macedonia – Georgia 0: 3 (0: 0)
Goals: 52. Zivzivadze, 62. Kvaracchelija, 84. Kiteishvili.
| 1. | Georgia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12:2 | 9 |
| 2. | Northern Macedonia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3:4 | 4 |
| 3. | Bulgaria | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4:7 | 2 |
| 4. | Gibraltar | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1:7 | 1 |
Group D2:
Malta – Estonia 1: 2 (0: 1)
Goals: 56. own Hein – 21. Vassiljev, 90. + 4 Anier.
| 1. | Estonia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 6 |
| 2. | Malta | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 3 |
| 3. | San Marino | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0:4 | 0 |
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