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Two late goals from the Czech Republic sent England crashing out of the tournament in dramatic style, having led 1-0 until the last minute courtesy of a Danny Welbeck header.
England: Fielding, Walker, Smalling, Jones, Bertrand, Muamba, Henderson (Lansbury 64 min), Cleverley (Albrighton 76 min), Sinclair (Rose 87 min), Sturridge, Welbeck.
Czech Republic: Vaclik, Celustka, Suchy, Mazuch, Lecjaks, Gecov, Dockal, Maracek, Moravek (Chramosta 84 min), Kovarik (Cerny 68 min), Kozak (Pekhart 84 min).
England entered the match knowing that only a win would be good enough to see them progress into the semi-finals and they began with a good tempo to their play. They immediately looked more dangerous than the previous two games with Sinclair’s addition to the team in a potent front three. They thought they had taken the lead after 7 minutes when Sturridge fired home only to see the goal chalked off for offside.
Danny Welbeck went close for England after 10 minutes when he stung the palms of Vaclik having been played through by Sturridge. For all England’s early pressure, it was the Czech Republic who so nearly opened the scoring after 16 minutes when Maracek struck a fine volley towards the top corner but Fielding produced a fantastic save to deny the midfielder. England continued to probe and almost broke the dead-lock after 27 minutes when good build-up led to Bertrand finding Cleverley at the back post but his shot could only find the side-netting.
The Czech’s remained organised and resolute as the half progressed with England struggling to find that decisive pass. Much of their invention came through the again impressive centre-back pairing of Smalling and Jones as they advanced from defence. England again went close 5 minutes before the break when Sinclair smashed a 30-yard strike goal-wards but Vaclik was more than equal to it.
England began the second half with a real purpose but were still struggling to find that elusive pass. Cleverley fired over a speculative effort after 60 minutes before Walker tried his luck from distance as the Czech’s remained camped in their own half. Sturridge fired a free-kick over the bar after 71 minutes as England desperately searched for the goal that would take them through. They were eventually rewarded after 76 minutes when they finally made the breakthrough. Daniel Sturridge whipped in a terrific cross onto the head of Welbeck and the Manchester United striker dispatched his header perfectly past the Czech keeper. Lansbury almost put the game out of sight minutes later with a strike from distance with England exploiting the gaps left by the Czech’s sudden change of style. Welbeck almost scrambled the ball home after 82 minutes before they endured a horrific final few minutes.
England just could not hang on to their lead and sloppy defending allowed Chramosta the chance to bundle the ball over the line after 89 minutes to tie the game at 1-1 and break English hearts. As England searched for the winner, the Czech’s added a second with the final kick of the game through Pekhart to send them through to the semi-finals and leave England wondering what might have been. Spain’s 3-0 win over Ukraine secured their passage to the semi-finals with Wednesday’s games seeing Spain take on Belarus whilst Switzerland will face the Czech Republic.
Tags: Czech Republic Under-21, England Under-21, European Under 21 Championship
