Ronaldo's Portugal scrape Euro 2024 opening win
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal beat the Czech Republic 2-1 to claim a Euro 2024 debut victory on Tuesday but they needed to come from behind with a 92nd-minute winner from youngster Francisco Conceicao. Earlier in the section's other clash, Turkey bested Georgia 3-1 in a pulsating match in Dortmund. Roberto Martinez's Portugal qualified at a canter with a 100 percent record, but only just scraped victory in Leipzig in their first match, under driving rain. The Czechs went ahead against the run of play through Lukas Provod's fine strike from the edge of the box after the hour mark, but Robin Hranac's own goal soon pulled Portugal level before Conceicao's winner. Ronaldo was thrice denied by goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek on a record Euros appearance and headed against the post, but was offside. Diogo Jota put the rebound into the net but the goal was disallowed after the VAR highlighted Al Nassr striker Ronaldo's infringement. It did not matter for Portugal in the end as 21-year-old Porto winger Conceicao struck from close range. The Czechs were left agonising after battling so hard and almost claiming a point. "It hurts terribly when you work like this for 90 minutes, you give everything and you lose in the end," said Czech goalscorer Provod. "Our defenders played an incredible game. We just needed a bit more luck." A well-supported Turkey started the Euros in entertaining fashion with an end-to-end win over debutants Georgia. Real Madrid playmaker Arda Guler scored a brilliant goal, along with strikes by Mert Muldur and Kerem Akturkoglu, to delight the masses of Turkish supporters. Georgia were dangerous after Georges Mikautadze levelled Muldur's superbly hit opener, and struck the woodwork. Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was below his best but despite defeat his team offered enough to give themselves hope for the matches ahead, against the Czech Republic and then Portugal. (AFP)