The Czech Republic having to defend throughout their 2-1 loss to a dominant Portugal side sapped the players' strength and left them unable to generate much in attack during their Euro 2024 Group F opener, coach Ivan Hasek said on Tuesday.
Portugal substitute Francisco Conceicao grabbed a stoppage-time winner against the dogged Czechs, who had taken the lead in the 62nd minute and appeared on the brink of a gigantic upset.
“Portugal have great quality in the attack and when we were defending everybody worked as a team but then we didn’t have strength to attack,” Hasek said.
"Obviously we are disappointed to concede a goal this late in the game but we need to keep our heads high," he added. "We need to get better because this was not a perfect game for us."
Hasek, in his second stint in charge of the national side, said Portugal’s attacking class threw a spanner into the Czech game-plan to push up the field.
"We wanted to be much higher on the pitch but they dominated and pushed us very deep in our half," Hasek said.
"When we got the ball we wanted to go forward and attack but some bad passes made it possible for them to dominate again. Losing the balls was our biggest mistake."
With the Czechs all defending ferociously, Hasek said he withdrew forward Patrik Schick on the hour to save him for their next match against Georgia in a group that also includes Turkey.
“Patrik Schick had to work in the defence as well so he was really losing his strength quite quickly,” Hasek said. “We were ready for that. We have a game in the next four days and we need him to be ready.”
Hasek also praised substitute midfielders Antonin Barak and Petr Sevcik, hinting that he may make some changes to the starting line-up against Georgia on Saturday.
One player the Czechs will need at his best is captain Tomas Soucek who arrived in Germany needing treatment ahead of the opening match but Hasek was confident he would be ready.
“Tomas really wants to play and as of now we have no notes from the doctors about any players,” Hasek said.