Nineteen defeated Sweden 3:2 in the final match of the qualification! However, due to the difficult system, they will not attend the Euros

The last qualification match was against Sweden. The team of coach Radek Bejbl won 3::2 with a goal in the end and won six points in a difficult group. However, it was not enough to qualify, the reason being the defeat against Portugal, who outplayed all their opponents.

In the second stage of the Euro qualification, the Czechs faced Croatia, Portugal and Sweden. However, only one could advance from this tough group.

Coach Radek Bejbl’s team won the first match against the Croats 3-1 and was looking forward to measuring their strength against Portugal, who currently have one of the best teams in the world in this category.

The Czechs came up short against the Portuguese and it was certain that the promotion was lost. In the last match against Sweden, it was only about prestige.

And the Czechs managed to do it with flying colours. Filip Špatenka opened the scoring in the 55th minute, but Wilmer Odefalk equalised. In the 79th minute Matěj Šín scored, but the Swedes again pulled the score back through Amar Abdirahman Ahmed.

In the 88th minute, however, captain Lukas Ambros, who made his Bundesliga debut for Wolfsburg, made the difference.

“In an interesting and balanced match, the goals started to fall only in the second half. I think our win was decided by the half-time substitutions, when we spread the load and the fresh players brought speed, quality and productivity to our game.

We are happy for the second win. Theplayers showed character when they made the difference in the hectic end of the game,” said coach Bejbl after the game.

Although the Czechs did not qualify for the tournament, they did not disgrace themselves. Other prestigious teams such as France, who finished behind Norway, Germany and Belgium, who fell short to Italy, and England, who lost to Iceland.

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