It was another historic night for women’s football, this time at the Est\u00e1dio do Drag\u00e3o.<\/p>\n
First, the women and Czechia played to a tough draw in the first leg of their second round EURO qualifier.<\/p>\n
Czechia scored first in the 33′ but Barcelona star and Player of the Match Kika levelled two minutes into the second half and it finished 1-1 in a result where more positive news was expected playing at home.<\/p>\n
Portugal and Czechia leave everything wide open for the second leg in Teplice next Tuesday, December 3.<\/p>\n
The Portuguese were superior in this match and that leaves good indicators for the second leg as they seek to qualify for another European Championship.<\/p>\n
Goalkeeper Ines Pereira made several outstanding saves to keep the Sele\u00e7\u00e3o in the match.<\/p>\n
A sold out Estadio do Drag\u00e3o was electric tonight to not only set a record but to also support their quest to qualify.<\/p>\n
Next Tuesday all will be decided.<\/p>\n
At the end of the match, manager Francisco Neto spoke in a press conference with journalists at Est\u00e1dio do Drag\u00e3o:<\/p>\n
“Before the game, the players were completely normal, even too normal. I thought they might have been more excited or anxious, but that wasn’t the case. The day went very naturally. We are talking about athletes who have already experienced important moments on other stages. It was, without a doubt, a special day.<\/p>\n
“Strategically and tactically, we fulfilled what was planned. We wanted to press high, win balls in the opponent’s half and wear down the opposing team with possession of the ball. This was evident. We were dominant, but what we need to improve is the approach in the last third of the field.”<\/p>\n
“The tactical changes made in this game were designed for the context of the moment, not necessarily with the next game in mind. We felt, especially in the moments when we lost possession of the ball, that the game became broken and dangerous. Sometimes, as a result due to fatigue, we had to refresh the team to maintain the intensity<\/p>\n
“During the preparation, we carefully analyzed the different scenarios that the Czechia could present. We knew which paths they could explore and adjusted the strategy. The big lesson to be learned from this is that we need to improve the approach in the last third, have more discretion and effectiveness. We had several clear opportunities, but, at this level, it is essential to make the most of these opportunities,” Neto said.<\/p>\n
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\nA Portuguese record TV audience for women’s football of 2.2 million watched on RTP 1 (average 899,000) last night’s Portugal x Czechia Euro qualifier draw in Drag\u00e3o. 👏🇵🇹 https:\/\/t.co\/GrVwulHc78<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 PortugueseSoccer.com ⚽️ (@PsoccerCOM) November 30, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n