Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 313: First Match Against Iceland

On June 10th, local time in France, the opening match of the European Championship kicked off between host nation France and Romania. The hosts managed a 2-1 victory, marking a successful start to the tournament. With this match, the European Championship officially began.

In Saint-Étienne, Bruno and his team were intensely preparing for their match. According to the schedule, Portugal's first match was on June 14th against Iceland. Currently, Iceland is ranked 34th by FIFA, making them one of the lowest-ranked teams among the 24 participating in the European Championship, and the weakest in their group.

To the Portuguese players, Iceland seemed like an easy opponent, so they were determined to secure three points from this match. According to the match rules, the first-place team in Portugal's Group F would face the second-place team from Group E in the knockout stage. The second-place team would face the second-place team from Group B, while the third-place team might face the first-place team from Group C or D.

Group B includes England, Wales, Slovakia, and Russia; Group C has Germany, Poland, Northern Ireland, and Ukraine; Group D features Spain, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Turkey; and Group E consists of Belgium, Italy, Ireland, and Sweden.

Based on the analysis and plans of the Portuguese Football Federation and coaching staff, they didn't aim to finish first in their group. This would likely pit them against Belgium or Italy, both formidable opponents. Belgium is currently ranked second in the world, and Italy has historically been a tough opponent for Portugal.

Finishing third wasn't desirable either, as it didn't guarantee advancement, given that only four of the six third-place teams would progress, with two being eliminated. Additionally, facing Germany from Group C or Spain from Group D would be daunting, as both teams have historically been difficult for Portugal to beat.

Finishing second seemed the most favorable, as the opponent would be the second-place team from Group B. England was expected to top Group B, leaving Wales, Slovakia, or Russia as potential opponents, none of which were particularly daunting for Portugal. Even facing England, Portugal had a strong track record, remaining unbeaten in their last ten encounters.

However, aiming for second place also had its downsides, as they might face host nation France in the quarter-finals. Despite winning their last two friendly matches against France, those were not competitive fixtures, and playing France on their home turf in the knockout stage would be challenging.

After much deliberation, the Portuguese Football Federation and coaching staff decided to take things one step at a time, aiming to secure second place to ensure progression and potentially reach the quarter-finals. Winning their first match against Iceland was crucial, as both Austria and Hungary were expected to be tougher opponents. Austria is ranked 10th in the world, and Hungary is 20th, making victories against them uncertain.

Bruno, however, knew that Iceland wouldn't be easy to defeat. From his memory, Iceland was the dark horse of this tournament, finishing second in their group and even eliminating England in the round of 16, leading to Hodgson's resignation. Unable to share these insights, Bruno could only remind his teammates not to underestimate any opponent. How effective this reminder would be, only time would tell.

...

"Bruno, do you think what the coach said is achievable?" Cancelo asked in the dark after lights out.

"The coach didn't say we were going for the championship," Bruno replied with a smile.

"Don't tell me you didn't understand the coach's implication," Cancelo insisted. "He just didn't say it outright."

"I agree with the coach," Bruno thought for a moment. "Let's see how it goes after the group stage."

Cancelo wanted to say more, but Bruno interrupted, "Aren't you going to sleep? I don't mind, but you're starting tomorrow."

Cancelo chuckled, "Looks like I'm more important than you in the coach's eyes."

"The coach is letting me rest on the bench, ready to come in at a crucial moment," Bruno retorted with a laugh.

Indeed, for the match against Iceland, Santos didn't start Bruno. Instead, he made some lineup changes. André Gomes, Danilo Pereira, and João Mário formed a midfield trio, with veteran Moutinho starting as the attacking midfielder. Cancelo was the starting right-back.

...

"Bruno is on the bench, Moutinho is starting, and Ronaldo is paired with the recovered Nani up front. Coach Santos has made significant adjustments to the lineup," noted the commentator.

"This is a relatively conservative starting lineup."

Santos watched from the sidelines, aware of the importance of the opening match against Iceland. If they failed to win, facing Austria and Hungary back-to-back would put Portugal in a tough spot.

Heeding Bruno's warning, Santos prepared for a tough match, deploying a robust midfield trio to match Iceland's physicality.

Looking at Iceland's lineup, Santos knew they were in for a battle. The Icelandic defense, featuring hard-hitters like Sævarsson, Ragnar Sigurðsson, Arnason, and Skúlason, was formidable. The midfield, with players like Guðmundsson, Gunnarsson, Gylfi Sigurðsson, and Bjarnason, was also strong, and the forwards, Sigþórsson and Böðvarsson, were equally tough.

Santos decided to bench Bruno partly due to tactical reasons and partly to protect him from injury. Despite Bruno's resilience, Santos didn't want to take any chances in such an important tournament.

It was going to be a tough match.

...

As the weakest team in the group, Iceland took Portugal seriously, adopting a defensive and physical approach to limit Portugal's attack. Meanwhile, Portugal's midfield trio of André Gomes, Danilo Pereira, and João Mário matched Iceland's aggression, leading to a match filled with physical clashes and frequent interruptions.

The game was intense, with both teams focusing more on defense and limiting the other's scoring opportunities. It wasn't until the 39th minute that the deadlock was broken. Guðmundsson crossed from the right, Cancelo misjudged the header, and Bjarnason volleyed the ball into the bottom corner, giving Iceland the lead.

This was Bjarnason's 7th goal in his 48th international appearance. The crowd at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard erupted in cheers as Iceland's 20,000 traveling fans celebrated wildly.

Santos clenched his fists in frustration. They had failed to keep Iceland at bay.

He began considering tactical adjustments for the second half. But before he could finalize his plans, Portugal quickly equalized.

Perhaps it was Iceland's complacency after scoring or the nearing end of the first half, but their defense slackened. When Ronaldo cut in from the wing, Iceland's defenders were uncharacteristically passive, allowing Nani to receive Ronaldo's pass, control the ball, and calmly turn and shoot from the edge of the box. The ball curved into the top corner.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!"

Santos first froze, then clapped in celebration.

"Well done, Nani! Well done, Cristiano!" he shouted, pleased with their timely intervention.

"Iceland quickly conceded, only holding their lead for three minutes!"

"This goal exposed Iceland's weaknesses. They became complacent after scoring, and Arnason's slow reaction was almost comical," BBC commentator John Motson remarked. "Arnason looked like an old man, just watching Nani turn and shoot."

(End of Chapter)

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