In the first two rounds of Euro 2024, Portugal showed very different performances. In the first round, they beat their opponents in a thrilling match, and it was Cristiano Ronaldo who was the center of attention, not only scoring the key goal in the game, but also becoming the all-time assist leader of the European Championship with his excellent assists. In the second round, Portugal won 3:0 to stabilize the first place in the group and lock up the qualification in advance.
In the final round of the seemingly solid group stage, Portugal suffered an accident. Against Georgia, Portugal failed to show the quality and dominance they should have. Before the game, Portugal made changes to the squad after already ensuring the top spot in the group, with key players such as Pepe, B, B Fee and Dias all resting, while Cristiano Ronaldo continued to play the role of starting centre-forward, hoping to continue to be competitive in the game.
Just 1 minute and 32 seconds into the game, Portugal fell into a passive situation. Young centre-back Antonio Silva had a pass cut off in the area of midfield before Georgia counter-attacked quickly and Kvaratskhelia got on the end of the pack and slotted home to give Georgia the lead. The goal also became the fastest goal conceded by Portugal in the history of the European Championship.
After that, Portugal were unable to convert chances into goals, although they occupied more time of possession and shots on goal. At the end of the first half, Portugal was still 1-0 down, despite having 70% possession and taking far more shots on goal.
At the start of the second half, the whole Portuguese team stepped up their offensive and tried their best to score goals. Ronaldo tried to shoot several times in a row, but unfortunately they were blocked by the Georgian goalkeeper, and the fans felt a little distressed, thinking that if Ronaldo could grasp these opportunities, the score would have equalized long ago.
On the sidelines, some fans began to discuss: "Alas, what happened to Ronaldo today? It should have been a great opportunity for him to perform. "yes, I don't feel like he's in good shape, maybe he's tired." "Perhaps, but he's still our hope, and we hope he can take the next opportunity." "That is, he has always been our general of life and death."
At the same time, there were problems in Portugal's defence, with Antonio Silva committing a foul in the box that led to a penalty opportunity. Mikataze stood at the penalty spot and saw everything clearly against the goalkeeper. The fans looked nervously: "Oops, this kind of foul can't be committed!" "Alas, what a low-level mistake!" "Hopefully the goalkeeper can save it!" Unfortunately, Mikatadze calmly scored the penalty and made the score 0:2.
After the game, fans also expressed their opinions on social media. "Ronaldo tried his best, but unfortunately he couldn't change the score." "Hopefully we can have a better performance in the next game!" "Defensively, too, this kind of mistake is too deadly." Although these opinions are different, they all show the support and expectations of the fans for the Portuguese team.
As the game progressed, Portugal was unable to change the situation of the score, and finally lost to Georgia with a score of 0:2. This was a bit of a disappointment for the fans, who took to social media to express their opinions and feelings.
Some fans commented on Weibo: "Portugal really hit a tough bone today. "It's a shame to lose, but at least we've already qualified for the knockout round!" "Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates will definitely pick themselves up in the next games!" These words reflect the understanding and support of the fans, who still have a lot of confidence in the team.
On the other hand, Georgian fans cheered on social platforms: "A historic match, Georgia has advanced to the knockout stage of the European Championship for the first time!" Our team is fantastic! "A small country with a population of 3.71 million, but our football strength should not be underestimated!" "Hopefully we can continue to do well in the knockout rounds!" These comments show the pride and excitement of Georgian fans, who are proud of their country's football achievements.
Despite the loss in this game, Portugal showed their strength by securing early qualification for the knockout stage as group winners. Georgia, on the other hand, made history with this victory, proving their competitiveness and potential on the international stage.
Summing up the progress of Portugal and Georgia from their group, Portugal qualified as group winners and despite suffering a surprise defeat, they still showed great quality and potential. Georgia qualified for the knockout rounds as third in their group with a historic victory, which was a remarkable achievement for them.
Football is so interesting, it's round, so anything can happen. For example, recalling the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Saudi Arabia even won Argentina, this is the charm of sports, which is always impossible to guess.
Some fans discussed the match and said, "Look at Saudi Arabia, how can you forget that World Cup game?" They really played at the best level of the team! "Yes, sometimes it's just a one-trick win, and the tactical subtlety is simply dumbfounded." These comments show the importance of tactics in sports, and sometimes a game can really be changed by a brilliant tactical strategy.
Other netizens said: "Sports competitions are about results, not processes." "Losing is losing, there's nothing to explain, the strength is there." "The big are not the rich, winning is winning, losing is losing, this is the essence of competitive sports." These words reflect the opinion of some fans about the outcome of the game, who believe that the final score is the most important criterion.
The charm of sports competition lies in its unpredictability and variety of tactics. Every game has the potential for an unexpected ending, and it's this uncertainty and competition that makes people so obsessed with sporting events. Whether it's an upset or a matter of strength, every game has its own unique charm and value.
The performances of Portugal and Georgia at this European Championship, whether it was a display of strength on the field or an unexpected result, are food for thought. This game is not only a showdown in sports, but also a testimony of each team fighting for glory. We look forward to seeing these teams continue to perform well in the next knockout rounds and bring us more exciting games."