On the day he turned 29, Bruno Fernandes unleashed a slow game and gave Portugal the victory against Slovakia in Bratislava (0-1), leaving qualification for the Euro Cup well underway.
Almost three months after the last game, the National Team returned to the field to continue qualifying for next year’s Euro Cup. Based on four victories in four days and with direct qualification very advanced, Portugal traveled to Bratislava to face Slovakia — which was the theoretically most complex rival in Group J.
But not without some controversy. In what was the second call since he replaced Fernando Santos at the helm of the National Team, Roberto Martínez called up João Cancelo and João Félix, two players who had not yet played minutes this season, and deserved criticism from several voices. Even Rúben Amorim, who, without naming names or specifically addressing the cases of Cancelo and Félix or Pedro Gonçalves and Paulinho, recalled that the Seleção cannot be used to “help players who are in a bad moment.”
This Thursday, before the match against Slovakia, Roberto Martínez tried to defend himself. “I follow 82 players, I work with 23. I think it is important to know that, to make our decisions, we have a very professional and honest process. There is a lot of work for the coach. The September practices, based on my professional experience, are not to see the current state of form, but to see what the players can contribute to our idea of the game. The commitment, talent and passion for the selection. The squads cannot please everyone,” said the Spanish coach, highlighting that Cancelo and Félix are at a “perfect level to play.”
Thus, in Bratislava, Roberto Martínez began to surprise by abandoning the three-man defense that he has adopted since taking charge of the national team and opting for a four-player defense. António Silva formed a partnership with Rúben Dias in the absence of the injured Pepe, João Cancelo started on the left, Vitinha appeared in midfield with Bruno Fernandes and João Palhinha and Rafael Leão accompanied Ronaldo and Bernardo in attack. That is, Danilo, Otávio and João Félix were all substitutes. On the other side, Bozenik, a Boavista striker who started on the bench for Italian Francesco Calzona’s team, stood out.
???? 26′ | ??????? Slovakia 0-0 Portugal ?????????
The Slovaks have only lost one possession in their defensive third, Portugal has already lost 5, and it is on the left wing where they are losing the most possessions, with Leão (4) and Cancelo (3) leading the losses. #SLOPOR #Euro2024Qualifiers #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/bGyCBuyxhs
— GoalPoint (@_Goalpoint) September 8, 2023
Portugal started well and could have opened the scoring in the first seconds. with Vitinha shooting wide after a raid by Diogo Dalot on the right (1′). Slovakia responded with a shot from Polievka that Diogo Costa scored (11′), but it did not take long for them to realize that the National Team would have to make changes to the form they were trying to build.
The Slovaks were very effective in high pressing the ball carrier, shortening the Portuguese spaces and making it practically impossible to build the central corridor. Portugal began by giving up possession of the ball, choosing to offer the initiative to the rival to then explore the depth behind the defence, but ended up regaining control of events, especially from the moment Palhinha joined the first phase of the attack, leaving Slovakia numerically inferior in midfield.
In the last 10 games with the Seleção ?????????, Bruno Fernandes scored 7 goals and gave 5 assists pic.twitter.com/MTMSojwgQo
— Playmaker (@playmaker_PT) September 8, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo shot wide on the turn (16′), Bruno Fernandes shot low for Dúbravka to score (17′) and the match entered a very stagnant phase, with several fouls and saves and without any great attempts on goal. The game picked up pace again in the final moments of the first half, when Haraslín hit the post after a run by Pekarík on the right (42′), and Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring on the brink of half-time with a cross shot into the area, after resisting the attack of several opponents (43′).
At the end of the first half Portugal led Slovakia by the smallest margin but there was a clear idea that the match was neither controlled nor resolved. The National Team lost many balls in the first phase of construction, especially in the left corridor. and had difficulty penetrating the Slovak final third. Furthermore, he revealed a defensive fragility that was allowing Francesco Calzona’s team opportunities.
???? REST | ??????? Slovakia 0-1 Portugal ?????????
???? Bad, very bad game in Bratislava
⚪️ It had to be Bruno Fernandes ????????? to unlock the meeting, on a birthday
???? The hosts have already reached the post.#EURO2024 #EURO2024Qualifiers #SLOPOR pic.twitter.com/me6Iwf9psE— GoalPoint (@_Goalpoint) September 8, 2023
The second half began to confirm the rhythm of the first, without great speed or intensity and with the game constantly being discussed in the center of the field and far from the goals. John Cancelo starred in the first half, with a run through the central corridor that ended with a shot that Dúbravka connected (51′), and Slovakia responded with a shot by Pekarík that was saved by Diogo Costa (52′) and a play in which Schranz deflected it wide into the face of the Portuguese goalkeeper (56′).
Cristiano Ronaldo was close to scoring after the hour mark, he missed his shot in the area after a great pass from Bernardo (61′), and ended up receiving a yellow card for hitting Dúbravka after the shot. — that is, he will miss the game against Luxembourg next Monday. Roberto Martínez made changes shortly after, launching Nélson Semedo, Otávio and Pedro Neto, and Portugal began to take advantage of the opponent’s clear fatigue to accumulate more dangerous situations that were rare throughout the match.
???? 75′ | ??????? Slovakia 0-1 Portugal ?????????
Bernardo Silva???????? He is playing a “correct” game, although without great brilliance: the midfielder only missed two passes out of the 41 he attempted and is the only one (along with Bruno) with 3 passes to finish #SLOPOR #Euro2024Qualifiers #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/LEowmy2tpm
— GoalPoint (@_Goalpoint) September 8, 2023
Ronaldo had three opportunities to increase the lead, with a shot that was stopped by Dúbravka (67′), another that went wide (70′) and a third that was also stopped by the Slovakian goalkeeper (76′), and The match ended up getting into full swing in the last quarter of an hour. The National Team remained with the result, Roberto Martínez did not make any more changes beyond the three already made and little happened until the final whistle.
In the end, Portugal beat Slovakia and recorded the fifth victory in five qualifying rounds for the European Championship, leaving direct qualification practically assured in the prelude to the reception to Luxembourg. And it was all thanks to a solitary goal from Bruno Fernandes, which sparked a slow and uninteresting match on the day he turned 29.
???? END | ??????? Slovakia ???? Portugal????????
⚪️Bruno Fernandes goal ????????? gives Portuguese triumph
???? Very poor and boring game.
⚪️ The Portuguese ended up defending
???? Ratings, stats and xG at https://t.co/FxNPtrZtUs#EURO2024 #EURO2024Qualifiers #SLOPOR pic.twitter.com/MkYvV97SVx— GoalPoint (@_Goalpoint) September 8, 2023
Source: Observadora
