Portugal secured a place in the final phase of the 2025 Women’s European Football Championship, by beating the Czech Republic 2-1, after 1-1 at Dragão.
It’s the tri of Navigators! Portugal secured a place in the final phase of the 2025 Women’s European Football Championship, by beating the Czech Republic 2-1, in the second leg of the last qualifying play-off.
A double from Diana Silva put Portugal in the women’s Euro for the third time in a row. In stoppage time, the post saved Portugal from going into extra time.
The 1-1 draw at Dragão with a record attendance [40,189 spectators] in a women’s game in Portugal, last Friday, left everything open for Teplice, where Portugal just had to do the same as they did in the first meeting, but greater effectiveness in front of goal. The Navigators were superior to the Czechs but, when it came to putting the ball into the goal, they trembled.
The anxiety of the result would be an obstacle, as would the very cold weather at Arena AGC Na Stinadlech, on a difficult pitch, which did not help the more technical and elaborate game of Francisco Neto’s men.
Scoring early was essential, to force Czechia to move up their lines and leave space at the back, which Portugal could take advantage of. The plan was being fulfilled when, in the 13th minute, a Joana Marchão center from the left found Diana Silva’s head in the area. The ball didn’t seem to go towards the goal, but Dedinová’s deflection changed its trajectory and it ended up in the back of the net. The first objective was accomplished.
The Czechs, more accustomed to the weather conditions, went in search of a draw. Svitková tested the attention of goalkeeper Patrícia Morais (replaced Inês Pereira in the usual turnover in goal) with a long shot that the Portuguese saved with difficulty. The ball went to Stasková, but Patrícia Morais again defended the rebound.
At 32 minutes came one of the game’s capital moves. A point-blank kick hit Ana Capeta’s arm, who was trying to protect her face. VAR warned Finnish referee Lina Lehtovaara who, after reviewing the play on the monitor, awarded a penalty. Svitková didn’t tremble and beat Patrícia Morais with a low, placed shot. The national goalkeeper guessed the side of the ball, but her jump wasn’t enough.
Reset of suffering before new control
The first minutes of the half were difficult for Portugal, with some ball losses and difficulties in starting the game. The Czechs grew into the game and threatened a comeback in the 49th minute, with a shot from Khyrová that scared Patrícia. At 51, the equalizer didn’t come because two Czech players got in the way on the second stick after Khyrová’s center.
Francisco Neto tried something different, swapping Andreia Jacinto for Andreia Norton, to try to rescue Portugal. The team grew, they had the ball again as in the first half, but the goal was still missing, as Diana Silva showed in the 55th minute, when she shot weakly and into the hands of the opposing goalkeeper, after a pass from Kika Nazareth. The Barcelona striker started to appear in the game, after a lackluster first half.
Portugal was once again in charge of the game, creating dangerous moves, as expected. Ana Capeta failed to receive a good ball from Diana Silva in the area, at 63; at 71 it’s Diana Silva heading into the area, for an important cut by a defender.
The offensive volume would be translated into a goal in the 76th minute, again by Diana Silva. The Portuguese striker appeared at the second post to put a well-marked free kick by Joana Marchão into the back of the net. The two had already scored the Navigators’ first goal.
Following the goal, Francisco Neto refreshed the attack with Jéssica Silva and Dolores Silva (Ana Capeta and Diana Silva left) to try to get the ball in front and, who knows, ‘kill’ the game. This opportunity fell to Jéssica Silva, after a fantastic pass from Kika Nazareh, but the attacker wasted a lot of time and shot past the opposing goalkeeper, at 90+2.
In response, a huge scare for Portugal. A ‘bomb’ from outside the area by Svitková hit the crossbar hard and hit close to the goal line, before being cleared by a national player.
Portugal thus guarantees the third consecutive final phase of a women’s European football championship, after presences in 2017 and 2022, and adds a fourth participation in a major competition, as it was also in the 2023 World Cup.
The Czech Republic, which is six places below Portugal in the FIFA rankings (28th versus 22nd), has never been to the finals.
The final phase of the 14th edition of the Women’s European Football Championship takes place in Switzerland, from July 2 to 27, 2025.
