March 27, (THEWILL)- Portugal suffered a 2-0 defeat against Slovenia in a Euro 2024 friendly match played in Ljubljana, on Tuesday. This loss marked their first setback since the appointment of Spanish coach, Roberto Martinez, who had previously overseen an impressive 11-game winning streak.
Despite boasting the presence of talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, in their starting line-up, Portugal sorely missed the creative spark provided by influential midfielders, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva. The match seemed to be heading towards a stalemate until Adam Gnezda Cerin broke the deadlock for Slovenia in the 72nd minute, with Timi Elsnik doubling their advantage just eight minutes later.
Following their resounding 5-2 victory over Sweden in Guimaraes last Thursday, this unexpected defeat has provided a reality check for the Portuguese team. Having qualified for Euro 2024 with an unblemished record of 10 wins from 10 matches, they will now look to fine-tune their preparations with further friendlies against Finland, the Republic of Ireland, and Croatia in June.
At the upcoming European championship in Germany, Portugal finds themselves drawn in a group alongside Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Georgia, who secured qualification on Tuesday by defeating Greece on penalties in a play-off encounter. Meanwhile, Slovenia will face a daunting task in their group, which includes powerhouses England, Denmark, and Serbia.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
