The Czech Republic will play a barrage match against Sweden. How did the teams do in their matches?

Czech Republic or Sweden. Only one of the teams will go on to the World Championship. The two teams have faced each other three times in the past and only once has a winner emerged. Can you remember the matches?

Teplice 2002

This was the year that everyone’s favourite coach Karel Brückner took over the national team. And it was a successful season for the national team. Out of ten matches, the Czechs did not lose even once.

They finished their campaign in November against Sweden. Our team led twice in the match, but despite all their efforts, they did not bring the match to a victorious end. After ninety minutes the game was tied 3:3. For the Czech Republic, defender Fukal and forwards Vachoušek and Baroš made their mark.

Jönköping 2005

Three years later, Brückner was still in charge of Czech football. This season was extremely important because it was played similarly to the World Cup qualifiers this year. For the first and for now the last time, Czech players managed to get through the qualification to the main tournament, which was held a year later.

But the match against Sweden was not particularly important for the qualification. It was only a friendly match. But the clash with the Scandinavians still left a bitter taste in the mouths of the fans. After eight consecutive wins, it was the Swedes who broke the Czech Republic’s winning streak.

All the goals were scored in the first half and Jan Koller’s penalty was not enough to win the match. The national team at Lake Vättern lost by one goal 1:2.

Stockholm 2016

The second national coach to face the Swedish steel was Pavel Vrba. However, he didn’t do too well in 2016 and the record of 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses is proof of that.

The highlight of everything was supposed to be the summer Euro in France. However, the Czech national team failed to win even once at the European Championship and after losing to Turkey and Spain and drawing with Croatia, they remained at the last place of the table with one point.

However, before the final nomination for the Euros, the Czechs played a preparatory match in Stockholm. As in 2005, all goals were scored in the first half. First, the home player Marcus Berg scored and 12 minutes later Matěj Vydra, who at that time was a guest in the English second league Reading, equalised. We couldn’t beat the Swedes this time either.

On Thursday, the Czech national team will play Sweden for the fourth time. This time, however, it is not a preparatory or friendly match. It is a chance to qualify for the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar at the end of this year.

Source:: ČTK, repre.fotbal.cz