Portugal 2-0 Czech Republic: Cancelo and Guedes send Selecao clear at top of Nations League group

The
two
sides
entered
the
contest
at
Estadio
Jose
Alvalade
level
on
four
points
apiece
after
two
rounds
of
fixtures,
and
it
was
Portugal
who
took
control
at
the
summit.

Joao
Cancelo
blasted
the
home
side
in
front
from
a
tight
angle
and
Goncalo
Guedes
added
a
second
before
half-time,
with
both
goals
assisted
by
Bernardo
Silva.

The
Czech
Republic
were
unable
to
find
a
route
back
into
the
contest
as
they
were
leapfrogged
by
Spain
–
1-0
winners
over
Switzerland
–
in
second
place.

????????
Two
in
two
for
João
Cancelo
✌️⚽️#NationsLeague
pic.twitter.com/iVOMLAg6ll

—
UEFA
Nations
League
(@EURO2024)

June
9,
2022

Portugal
had
to
see
out
a
spell
of
early
pressure,
with
Michal
Sadilek
volleying
over
from
a
good
position,
before
taking
a
33rd-minute
lead.

Cancelo,
who
rounded
off
the
scoring
in
Portugal’s
4-0
win
over
Switzerland
last
weekend,
took
a
pass
from
Silva
in
his
stride
and
fired
past
Jindrich
Stanek
into
the
far
corner.

Silva
played
in
Guedes
for
Portugal’s
second,
the
Valencia
winger
picking
his
spot
beyond
Stanek
to
leave
the
Czech
Republic
with
a
mountain
to
climb
with
38
minutes
played.

Diogo
Jota
was
denied
by
Stanek
as
Portugal
attempted
to
extend
their
lead
further
and
Guedes
had
a
strong
penalty
appeal
rejected
when
challenged
by
Sadilek
in
the
box.

Cristiano
Ronaldo
was
also
thwarted
by
the
opposition
keeper,
while
Adam
Vlkanova
missed
a
big
chance
at
the
other
end
after
a
mix-up,
but
Portugal
comfortably
saw
out
the
win.

What
does
it
mean?

With
wins
over
Switzerland
and
the
Czech
Republic,
following
a
1-1
draw
away
to
Spain
in
their
opener,
Portugal
are
well
positioned
at
the
top
of
Group
A2
at
the
midway
point.

Fernando
Santos’ men
have
lost
just
one
of
their
11
games
since
last
year’s
rescheduled
Euro
2020,
winning
nine
of
those
and
keeping
seven
clean
sheets
in
the
process.

The
Czech
Republic
have
not
looked
out
of
place
in
the
top
tier
of
the
Nations
League
thus
far,
having
previously
held
Spain,
but
they
can
have
no
complaints
about
this
defeat.

Brilliant
Bernardo

Portugal’s
first
goal
was
made
in
Manchester,
with
City
team-mates
Cancelo
and
Silva
combining
nicely
down
the
right,
before
the
latter
teed
up
Guedes
for
Portugal’s
second.

Silva
now
leads
the
way
at
the
top
of
assists
charts
in
the
2022-23
Nations
League
with
three
in
three
matches.

Cristiano
kept
quiet

Ronaldo
scored
his
116th
and
117th
international
goals
against
Switzerland
four
days
ago,
but
he
was
unable
to
extend
that
record
tally
any
further
against
the
Czech
Republic.

The
Manchester
United
superstar
had
three
shots,
two
of
those
on
target
for
a
value
of
0.24
in
terms
of
expected
goals
(xG)
value,
without
finding
the
net.

What’s
next?

Portugal’s
final
fixture
of
the
2021-22
season
is
a
Nations
League
tie
away
at
Switzerland
on
Sunday,
the
same
day
that
the
Czech
Republic
travel
to
Spain.