Cymru 1-2 Czechia
- Friday, 11 October 2024
- Rodney Parade, Newport
- UEFA U21 Championships Qualifying
As the full-time whistle was blown in this match, the defeat handed advantage to Czechia who can now leapfrog Cymru into the play-offs with their final group match against Lithuania on Tuesday (15 October).
After starting the game positively with Joel Cotterill hitting the post and Eli King going close with a header, the first half was turned on its head in the 27th minute.
An attack down the right saw Czechia work the ball into the box where Marek Icha chested the ball down before unleashing a powerful strike that ended up in the back of the net when Matt Baker’s outstretched foot diverted the ball past Evan Watts.
The Cymru keeper then kept his team in the game with two superb saves to deny the dominant Czechia before the break.
Cymru needed to react positively in the second as they needed a solitary point to confirm their play in the play-offs for the EURO finals but they were dealt a further below early in the half.
Czechia doubled their lead after Adam Karabec’s initial shot was saved by Watts but Václav Sejk netted the rebound after the ball was pushed into his path.
Matty Jones’ team did settle themselves and applied pressure on Czechia but their goal came too late to find another to equalise. In the 4th minute of added time, Luca Hoole was on the end of a Fin Stevens ball into the box but there wasn’t enough time left to find another goal.
Cymru must now sit and wait to see what Czechia do against Lithuania.
As it happened
Cymru 1-2 Czechia
