In this grueling UEFA European Championship Qualification match between Slovakia and Portugal on 08 September 2023, Portugal managed to take home a narrow victory, with a final score of 1-0. This result demonstrates Portugal's disciplined game, capitalized on their opportunities, and managed to keep a calm disposition despite the adversarial nature of the encounter.

A contextual analysis of the match presents an insightful view into the tactical setups and standings of both teams. The only goal of the match was scored by Portugal in the 43rd minute of the first half. This, evidently, turned out to be the game decider and was no doubt a significant morale booster going into the second half. Since no goals were scored by Slovakia given any point in the match, this flanks Portugal's defense prowess in the game.

Drilling down into the details of the game, Portugal's discipline came across strongly. While they committed 12 fouls compared to Slovakia's 10, they were careful not to cross the line too far – picking up only one yellow card in comparison with Slovakia's two. This highlights the team's balanced approach with aggression and cautiousness.

Looking at the set-piece situations, Portugal once again edged Slovakia slightly in corner kicks 4 against 3. This manifested their slight superiority in keeping the ball in the opposing half and creating attacking opportunities.

Slovakia was caught offside four times, whereas Portugal kept their attacking line in check, with no offsides throughout the game. This showcases Portugal's tactical discipline in the attacking third and also points to Slovakia's somewhat disjointed high defensive line.

The substitutions, although not explicitly stated in the data, could also have played a strategic role in preserving the lead for Portugal or may have been an unsuccessful attempt by Slovakia to equalise the game.

In conclusion, the match was immensely competitive, but Portugal's superior discipline and effectiveness in capitalizing the one scoring opportunity proved to be the deciding factors. Despite the loss, Slovakia demonstrated a combative style of play which, with a little more precision, could have altered the result in their favour. Portugal's tactical discipline, however, was commendable and served as the key contributor to their success.

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