Francisco Conceicao is Portugal’s hero in last-gasp win over Czechia

Roberto Martinez’s team looked to be heading for a shock defeat when Lukas Provod scored with a sublime finish against the run of play midway through the second half, before an own goal from Robin Hranac drew them level shortly afterwards.

The Czechs clung on bravely against a barrage of Portugal pressure, but were ultimately undone as the substitute Conceicao lashed the ball home on his competitive debut to seal the win.

Bruno Fernandes had Portugal’s first real sight of goal midway through the first half, sending a left-foot rocket narrowly over the crossbar as Martinez’s side sought to capitalise on early domination of the ball. Moments later, Rafael Leao was inches from reaching a low cross that fizzed across goal from Fernandes.

Cristiano Ronaldo ought to have opened the scoring just past the half-hour mark when he was played in by a fine through-ball from Fernandes, the captain at the heart of Portugal’s best attacking moves. Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek was alert and raced from his goal to block.

The Czech goal came just after the hour and was entirely against the run of play. Vladimir Coufal recovered the ball as Portugal failed to fully clear a cross from the left, knocking it back to the unmarked Provod. Before Portugal could get out to close him down, the midfielder pulled back his right boot and sent an unstoppable shot swinging into Diogo Costa’s far corner.

The lead was short-lived, and in the 69th minute Portugal were level. Stanek attempted to parry away a header across goal from Nuno Mendes but succeeded only in pushing it against the shin of Hranac and in.

Diogo Jota thought he had won it with an 87th-minute header, only to be denied by VAR for offside against Ronaldo, before Conceicao nicked it at the death.

Guler and Muldur score stunners as Turkey beat Georgia

Spectacular strikes from Arda Guler and Mert Muldur helped Turkey launch their Euro 2024 campaign with a thrilling 3-1 win over major tournament debutants Georgia.

Real Madrid forward Guler lit up an engrossing Group F encounter by curling home a stunning 65th-minute effort in Dortmund before Kerem Akturkoglu sealed victory with a breakaway goal at the death.

The 19-year-old Guler’s eye-catching finish came after Muldur’s thumping volley gave Vincenzo Montella’s men a 25th-minute lead, only for Georges Mikautadze to level before the break with a landmark goal for Georgia.

Following clashes between rival fans in the stands ahead of kick-off, Turkey’s positive start was almost rewarded when Kaan Ayhan smashed against the inside of the left post with 10 minutes played.

Turkey goalkeeper Mert Gunok produced a fine save to keep out Anzor Mekvabishvili’s deflected effort a minute later before his side deservedly edged ahead.

Ferdi Kadioglu’s cross from the left was only partially cleared by the head of Lasha Dvali and Fenerbahce right-back Muldur emphatically lashed into the top right corner from the edge of the 18-yard box.

VAR denied Montella’s side a quickfire second as Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz was marginally offside when he tapped home after Guler’s cross was helped on by Orkun Kokcu.

Mikautadze quickly capitalised on the let-off by beating Gunok at his near post to equalise following Giorgi Kochorashvili’s centre before volleying narrowly wide at the end of a flowing team move.

Turkey regained the lead when Guler underlined his undoubted potential by unleashing a thunderous finish into the top left corner from 25 yards to delight his country’s boisterous supporters.

Georgia midfielder Kochorashvili hit the crossbar and then fired wide in added time before captain Guram Kashia headed against a post during a frantic finish which concluded with substitute Akturkoglu racing away to give Turkey manager Montella a 50th birthday to remember.

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