Did the collision pass the judges? Experts wonder the moment before Portugal’s winning goal | Sport

European Football Championships on channels 14.6.–14.7. Go to the competition website from this link.

A 21-year-old became the hero in Portugal’s EC opening on Tuesday night Francisco Conceicao. The Porto striker was on the field for only about two minutes before hitting the Czech net with the 2-1 winning goal.

– High drama. The Czech Republic should have been awarded a free kick in their own half. Less than a minute later, Urheilu’s expert rings Antti Pohja described during the match.

At the end of the actual playing time, the defender of Portugal Nelson Semedo jumped the Czech winger David Dowdera to the running line. Doudera, rushing after the ball, collided with Semodo. The Czechs were almost certain to get a free kick.

– Czechs are quite warm. Referee Marco Guida the Czech Republic is not given credit for this, narrator Brother Engstrom described the situation.

Conceicao scored Portugal’s winning goal 15 seconds later.

– That tackle even looked cruel. It was like a hockey puck to the jaw. The referee probably didn’t see it well enough, but what about the assistant? Because indeed the next attack, and Portugal scored the winning goal, expert Pohja evaluates in the 11 friends podcast.

Also an expert Toni Korkeakunnas wondered why the other referees didn’t intervene if referee Guida didn’t see the situation.

– As far as I understand, the fourth referee would have the authority to intervene in the situation and with modern technology it would be possible to express it if he sees something. As a former coach of the Finnish national team and as someone who has been in Europe with the Helsinki Football Club, I feel that sometimes it is easier to not whistle against such smaller countries, Korkeakunnas described.

– Well, maybe it just feels like that when you haven’t stepped into the big boots yet, he said.

Czech head coach Ivan Hasek was disappointed, but did not regret the situation before the winning goal.

– Of course I was furious. That’s because we didn’t even reach a draw against one of the best teams in the world. However, the match was 1–1 at the end of regular time. I think we managed to make the game really challenging for Portugal, Hašek describes on the website of the country’s football association.

Portugal’s captain in the match Cristiano Ronaldo retained its historical status. He has now been on the field in six different EC tournaments. For the first time, he played in a home tournament in 2004.

A teammate Pepe and Croatia Luka Modric share second place, after both have played in five different EC tournaments.

Despite the victory over the Czech Republic, Portugal is second in Group F, after Turkey beat Georgia with a bigger goal difference, 3–1.

Turkey’s first two goals were completed with wonderful long shots. The solution hit went empty, so to speak. Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was involved in his team’s corner situation when Turkey got through.

Georgia, the first-timer at the European Championship, was a bit unlucky. In a 1–2 loss position, the team hit the opponent’s crossbar, a moment later the ball narrowly missed and in the final moments of the match, the equipment hit the post before Turkey’s 3–1 goal.

A total of 36 shots were recorded in the match, which is the most so far in the ongoing games.

Will Germany continue to win?

The second round of the group stage of the European Championship starts on Wednesday. The Group B match starting at 16:00 will feature Croatia and Albania, both of whom lost their opening matches.

Croatia lost to Spain 0–3 and Albania lost to Italy 1–2.

– Practically a place of forced victory for both. In the first match – compared to their own level – Albania played better. The team hung well with Italy and was close to scoring the equalizing goal at the end, Korkeakunnas estimated.

The second match is a Group A game that starts at 7 p.m. It pits host country Germany against Hungary. In the opening match, Germany beat Scotland with a decisive score of 5–1.

– This path is going quite well for Germany. Now maybe a slightly tougher opponent will come, but not a “gang from the village”. Hungary didn’t really convince against Switzerland, Pohja states.

In their opening match, Hungary lost to Switzerland with 1–3 goals. According to Pohja, Germany’s new arrival at the top of football has started well. The head coach Julian Nagelsmann has found a good lineup, and there are players who want to play on the field from the substitution.

– In hindsight – and now that I say this, it probably won’t turn out that way – Germany will continue to go strong, Pohja says and laughs.

– I would hope that Ukraine would be able to challenge Germany’s defense at least a little, he continues.

The day ends with the Scotland-Switzerland Group A match starting at 10 p.m. According to experts, Switzerland is the early favorite, and Scotland clearly needs to improve on their performance in the opening match.

European Football Championships on channels 14.6.–14.7. Go to the competition website from this link.

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