Czech Republic-Portugal. The Prague Cat didn’t come to Lisbon
The cry multiplied: “We won! We won! We won!” Of course, nationally we know that we know by heart and sautéed, in relation to the selection, which began to exist in December 1921, this we won is always conjugated in the first person plural, while for the verb lose it is almost exclusively singular. “When everyone expected our team to succumb to our team, to the virtuosity and science of the Czech professionals, victory appeared to us without the slightest shadow, with nothing, absolutely nothing, to dim the brightness of a result as logical as was the one for this game,” wrote one reporter passionately. Short victory, by one goal, 1-0, but the first over Czechoslovakia (in the second game) and right at a time when the victories of the national team were not plentiful, despite the surprise that consists of the very positive participation in the football tournament of the 1928 Olympic Games.
It took place on January 12, 1930. At Estádio do Lumiar, Portugal had beaten the Czechs with a goal by young Pepe, Cometa Azul, who would die so young and in such a bizarre way. It was only game no. 22 of the Portuguese team. Czechoslovakia was considered, and with every reason to do so, as one of the best in Europe and the world, it came quite understaffed. It rained in Lisbon in the previous days, the ground was muddy, muddy, in an oh Jesus!, the highlighted coffee comments were much greater physical strength against our group of little ones, it would be beautiful, we would be run over by the opposing botifarras much more accustomed to deal with such atmospheric disturbances.
“It’s nice to see him play like this. From the impression of the moment, taken in the field, in view of the course of the game, it makes me want to write: two men stood out… but then… two no, there were four, four no, there were seven, seven no, they were all. It was Portugal who played to win and who, failing, built without our first triumph”, continued our first journalist. “At the time of being dominant, our attack shone, weaving around the Czech Republic the strong, destructible web that did not lead to victory. In the dominated period, our defense shone and managed to make our goals impregnable and remain virgin until the end of the match. And the half-defense, whether in a period that nourishes, praised a work that deserves our greatest”. In fact, praise was not lacking in the exalted comrade’s prose.
Both
It has to be said, after a long time of euphoria, that two players stood out to most journalists who were at Lumiar to watch the game: Carlos Rodrigues and Vítor Silva. The first played for Belenenses, the second for Benfica. Rodrigues got along well with the other two teammates who were called up by the coach Laurindo Grijó, José Luís and Pepe, and endured the physical clash with the Czech calmeirões. Vítor Silva, owner of a fast and unpredictable dribble, opened with plenty in the opposing defense and it was only to regret his imprecision in the last pass.
Walde Mota, was not scored in advance for FC Porto, one saw a penalty scored because he was known by the goalkeeper Josef Sloup, who substituted in goal or huge Planick, Gato que Pragam, which many fans dislike his name and his fame as a unique category holder. In the 61st minute, José Manuel Soares, who today is known as Pepe, the most popular charismatic of all Portuguese players, scored the winning goal. It was no surprise to anyone: in his elegant way, football in the back and resentful, Pepe had become a mere phenomenon. And as gods die soon, those who love them, perhaps for the sheer selfishness of wanting them close to them, would leave this life the following year, with only 23 years old, to still give to their club and to the Portugal team. It was time to score two more goals with the corners shirt, on February 23, in a 2-0 victory against France in Porto. They would be the last!