Francisco Conceicao clinched a dramatic victory for Portugal, scoring in the 92nd minute of their showdown against Czechia in Leipzig.
Roberto Martinez praised Conceicao as the key player Portugal needed after he secured a 2-1 win against Czechia in their Euro 2024 opener.
Despite the game looking like it was heading for a stalemate due to Robin Hranac’s own goal offsetting Lukas Provod’s explosive strike, Conceicao made an immediate impact. He scored mere moments after stepping on the pitch, igniting raucous celebrations as his team narrowly surmounted their initial test in Group E.
Martinez introduced Conceicao in the game’s dying minutes and hailed the 21-year-old’s debut in competitive play for the national side.
“He merited this,” stated the Portugal coach. “He’s always prowling, ever ready to pounce on scoring chances.”
“He was just the spark we needed today.”
Portugal’s tactical prowess was evident as they led the statistics with 368 passes in the first half, their highest in any half at the Euros on record, although it initially brought no fruit.
This dominance turned to dismay when Provod smashed in the initial goal after 62 minutes. However, Conceicao quickly became the hero in Leipzig.
Martinez wasn’t disheartened by his team’s initial struggles.
“We’ve got key takeaways, but none concerning our tactics or stamina,” he noted, emphasizing the 18 shots and 13 corners they had. “Our victory stems from the values of resilience, determination, and belief echoed in the locker room.”
Conceicao’s goal, coming 111 seconds after his introduction, represents the quickest impact by a substitute in the tournament since Ferran Torres’ record for Spain in June 2021.
Despite initial nerves, Conceicao focused on staying composed.
“I suffer a lot internally but try to hide it,” he admitted. “I just had to stay cool and wait for my moment.”
Vitinha also turned heads with his meticulous midfield performance for Portugal. He expressed optimism about their capacity for improvement.
“We made the equalizer and kept our belief that we could turn the game around,” the Paris Saint-Germain player remarked. “We must hone our skills, but enthusiasm was brimming in our first match.”
