PeakNews Online
LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) — Portugal substitute Francisco Conceição scored in stoppage time for a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their European Championship opening game on Tuesday.
Conceição, who only made his entrance in the 90th minute, fired the ball home in the 92nd after Robin Hranac’s attempted block of fellow substitute Pedro Neto’s shot fell kindly for the Porto winger to shoot inside the left post.
“The players that came off the bench showed that the team has a lot of options,” Portugal coach Roberto Martínez said.
Conceição wheeled away in delight and was booked for taking off his jersey.
It comes almost 24 years to the day since Conceição’s father, Sérgio Conceição, scored a hat trick to knock defending champion Germany out of Euro 2000.
Czech Republic goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek had thwarted Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portugal star became the first to play at six European Championship tournaments. The 39-year-old Ronaldo was unable to add to his record 14 goals in his record-extending 26th appearance at the tournament.
Joe
