Bruno Fernandes, the captain of Manchester United, once again demonstrated his skills as Portugal defeated Czechia 2-1 in their first match of Euro 2024 at the Red Bull Arena.

Czechia scored their first goal shortly after the 60-minute mark, with Lukas Provod unleashing a powerful shot from just outside the penalty area.

After seven minutes, Portugal scored a goal to tie the game, courtesy to a significant error committed by the Czech defence, resulting in Robin Hranac accidentally scoring an own goal. The match appeared to be heading towards a draw when Francisco Conceicao, a substitute player, entered the game and scored the decisive goal from a short distance.

Fernandes assumed his preferred position as an advanced player in the central area of the field, partnering with Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha.

Diogo Dalot and Joao Cancelo occupied the full-back positions, frequently venturing into midfield to provide attacking support and contribute to the team’s build-up play.

Fernandes accumulated a total of 112 instances of contact with the ball.

He made 89 pass attempts and successfully completed 76 of them, resulting in a pass accuracy rate of 85%. The playmaker made two passes that were crucial in setting up scoring opportunities.

The 29-year-old made an effort to locate his intended recipient by delivering eight crosses and four long passes. He effectively scored three goals from a distance, but none of his passes properly reached a teammate from the Selecao side.

Fernandes generated a significant opportunity for Cristiano Ronaldo, however, Jindrich Stanek, the custodian, swiftly advanced towards the striker, enlarged his presence, and successfully prevented the five-time Ballon d’Or winner from scoring.

The captain of the United team had two of his attempts to score denied by the Czechia custodian. He emerged victorious in two out of the six ground duels he won and two out of the four aerial challenges he participated in.

Fernandes executed a single tackle and an equal number of interceptions.

He once again demonstrated an amazing and comprehensive performance. Undoubtedly, he will seek to capitalise on this achievement as Roberto Martinez’s team gears up to face Turkiye next on Saturday.