Czech Republic v England Live Commentary & Result, 22/06/2021, European Championship

90′ + 4′ FULL-TIME: CZECH REPUBLIC 0-1 ENGLAND.

90′ + 2′ Kral finds himself in a pocket of space just outside the box on the right and he decides to go for goal despite the tight angle. It’s a wild shot from him though that flies high into the stands.

90′ Rashford does well to get away from Coufal down the right and he curls a good cross into the box. Bellingham made a run to the far post though and Celutska is ahead of him to clear his lines.

88′ Pekhart’s shot in the 83rd minute was the first attempt at goal of the second half; since 1980, this is the longest wait for an effort on goal in the second half of a Euros match.

86′ OFFSIDE! Henderson thought he’d scored his first goal for England, but he’s denied by the offside flag. Rashford pulls it back for Kane, but it falls for Bellingham instead. He slides it through for Henderson, who turns and fires it past Vaclik, but it won’t count. Still 1-0! 

84′ And it’s an attacking change from Silhavy as he takes off Holes and replaces him with Vydra.

England

84′ Both sides are making their final changes now and Saka makes his way off the field for England, with Sancho coming on for his first appearance at the tournament.

83′ CHANCE! It’s a poor clearance from Pickford which is intercepted by Hlozek and he picks out Soucek on the edge of the box. His return pass hits Pekhart, who turns and hits a shot, but it’s just wide of the near post.

82′ England are still keeping possession well but they’re not causing any problems to the Czech Republic defence. Saka makes another driving run into the box before teeing up Kane, but his first touch lets him down and Celustka clears.

80′ Croatia have taken a 3-1 lead over Scotland in the other game at Hampden Park, which means that the Czech Republic have dropped into third place due to Croatia scoring more goals. England are still heading through as the group winners as things stand.

England

79′ Fourth change for England now, with Mings being brought on for Stones.

77′ There is yet to be a single attempt on goal in the second half.

Czech Republic

75′ Schick hasn’t really been able to get involved in the game and he’s taken off now, with Pekhart on to replace him.

74′ Maguire is allowed to carry the ball a long way before laying it off to Bellingham from the edge of the box. His first touch just takes it away from him which gives Kalas the chance to step across and put it out for a corner.

72′ England are enjoying a good spell of possession now and are keeping the Czech Republic penned back deep in their own half. Saka cuts inside before teeing up Kane, but he’s crowded off it by Celustka.

70′ The Czech Republic are trying a more direct route to goal now with Soucek trying to pick out Hlozek’s run into the box. They’re not on the same wavelength and it’s Shaw that steps across to receive the pass.

68′ Saka swings the free-kick into the box from the left and Maguire goes to ground, claiming he was pushed by Boril. The referee had a good view of it though and he waves the claim away.

J. Bellingham

J. Grealish

England

68′ Grealish is also being taken off, with Bellingham on to replace him.

England

67′ England are making a double change now as well and goalscorer Sterling is going off, with Rashford on for him.

66′ Saka skips away from a challenge by Holes and drives through the middle of the field before laying the ball off to Grealish. He slips it through to Sterling ahead of him, but Coufal steps across and gives away a free-kick.

Czech Republic

64′ Masopust is also taken off, with Hlozek on to replace him.

Czech Republic

64′ There’s a double change for the Czech Republic here and Darida is the first to make way for Kral.

63′ Holes has stayed down on the edge of England’s box after Maguire nicked the ball off him. The referee saw nothing wrong with the challenge and eventually, the midfielder gets back to his feet without needing any treatment.

Czech Republic

61′ It’s a late challenge from Boril on Saka and he’s shown the first booking of the game which means he’ll miss the round of 16 as it’s his second in the tournament.

60′ None of the England defenders get out to Coufal on the right and he whips a good deep cross into the far post where Schick is making a late run. Pickford reads it well though and is quick off his line to punch it away.

58′ There’s not enough on Sterling’s pass back to Phillips and Darida is quickly in to nick it off him. He turns to switch it out to Coufal before being brought down by the England midfielder.

56′ The Czech Republic’s passing is just letting them down at the moment when they get into the final third, but England’s poor clearances are allowing them to keep the pressure on. Maguire heads it away only for Soucek to latch onto it, but his pass is blocked by Stones.

54′ Pickford goes for the more direct approach, going long with his goal-kick this time and Kane flicks it on from the halfway line. Sterling makes the run in behind but just takes too long to control it and Kalas hooks it clear.

52′ England have never lost a competitive match at Wembley when leading at half-time (W86 D8 previously), winning the last 30 such games in a row.

50′ Kane switches play out to Henderson on the right and the substitute floats a brilliant pass into the box to try and pick out the captain again. It’s just out of Kane’s reach though and he can’t bring it down on the stretch.

48′ Masopust’s run is cut out by Phillips, but the Czech Republic keep hold of the ball as it comes back to Holes. He tries to switch it out to Sevcik on the left, but Stones spots the danger and gets across to intercept it.

46′ England get us back underway for the second half! 

England

46′ For England, it’s Rice that is going off, with Henderson on in his place.

Czech Republic

46′ Both sides are making a change at the break with the Czech Republic going first. Jankto goes off for them, with Sevcik replacing him.

As things stand, England will go through as the group winners, with the Czech Republic in second due to Scotland and Croatia drawing in the other game. Southgate will be pleased so far as there’s been a big improvement from the Scotland game, but Silhavy will be regrouping his players and trying to find a way to get his forward players more involved.

Sterling’s goal gives England a 1-0 lead over the Czech Republic at the break. It was a bright start for England, with Sterling hitting the post inside the first two minutes of the game. Just 10 minutes later he did find the back of the net when he nodded in Grealish’s cross from close range. Kane forced a good save out of Vaclik, while Soucek and Holes were denied by Pickford at the other end.

45′ HALF-TIME: CZECH REPUBLIC 0-1 ENGLAND.

43′ GOOD SAVE! Saka slips it through to Kane on the right this time and the England captain cuts inside before drilling a low shot on goal. Vaclik pushes it away and Sterling wasn’t paying attention to try and get a tap-in.

41′ England are keeping the pressure on here and they’re still finding a lot of joy down the right. Walker makes the overlapping run this time but takes his time getting the cross in and it’s eventually blocked by Boril.

39′ Rice makes a great run forward before slipping it through to Saka ahead of him on the right. He tries to float a cross into Kane at the far post, but Coufal gets there just ahead of him to head it clear.

37′ Grealish makes another driving run through the middle and the defenders sit back before he knocks it onto Sterling. He can’t get into the box so switches it out to Shaw on the left, and his cross is pushed away by Vaclik at the near post.

35′ CLOSE! Jankto tries to volley Boril’s shot in on the edge of the box, but Shaw just gets there first to head it away. He only gets it as far as Soucek though and his drilled effort from the edge of the box is narrowly wide of the post.

34′ Sterling plays a one-two with Shaw, but when he gets the return pass, he turns straight into trouble as two defenders rush towards him. He tries to slot it through to Kane, but can’t find a way through this time.

32′ Stones picks out Saka’s driving run down the right and the teenager pulls away from two Czech Republic defenders. He’s got Sterling up with him in support, but his cross is put out for a corner by Boril.

30′ Boril takes a quick throw-in on the left to Jankto, but as soon as he gets the ball, three England defenders swarm around him. He can’t keep hold of it and Stones steps in to hook it clear.

28′ PICKFORD SAVES! Holes wrongfoots Saka as he cuts inside to open up the space for a shot and he tries to bend a shot into the near top corner. Pickford sees it late but dives across to push it away from goal.

26′ GOOD SAVE! It’s a great throughball from Maguire on the halfway line to pick out Kane’s run into the box. He cuts inside onto his right foot before firing his shot across goal, but Vaclik gets a strong hand to it to push it away.

24′ Sterling is only the second player to score each of England’s first two goals at a Euros tournament after Alan Shearer in 1996, with all four goals among the two players coming at Wembley.

22′ Coufal takes a quick free-kick on the right and he’s trying to pick out Masopust’s run into the near post. There’s too much on it for him though and Pickford comes off his line to collect it.

20′ It’s a better spell of possession from the Czech Republic now and they’re forcing their opponents deeper in their own half. They switch it out to Jankto on the left, but his cross is cleared by Stones.

18′ Coufal is getting a bit of joy down the right for the Czech Republic and he makes another good run down the wing. Shaw catches him with a late challenge to give away a free-kick, but it comes to nothing.

16′ As things stand in Group D, England have leapfrogged their opponents into the top spot and the Czech Republic sit in second at the moment as it’s still goalless in the other game.

14′ The Czech Republic are looking to get an instant reply to Sterling’s goal and Masopust cuts inside from the right before trying to curl a shot on goal. Grealish is back defending though and makes the block.

England

12′ Grealish dummied a cross and drew two defenders out to him before chipping a good cross into the far post to pick out Sterling’s run.

England

12′ ENGLAND LEAD! The initial cross into the box is overhit from Saka, but Grealish keeps it alive on the left and chips a great cross into the far post which takes a slight nick off Coufal. It’s over Vaclik’s head and Sterling is there to nod it into the back of the net. 1-0 England! 

11′ Walker tries to lift the ball over the top to Saka, but Boril gets across to half-clear it. He gives the ball straight to Kane, who lets it bounce in front of him before going for the half-volley, but he fires it high over the bar.

10′ Shaw takes the free-kick just inside the opposition half and he floats it into the right of the box. Stones rises highest to meet it, but it’s a tight angle for the defender, and he heads his effort into the side netting.

8′ Coufal plays a one-two with Masopust down the right and just opens up some space in behind Shaw. He swings a deep cross into the box, but it’s over Schick’s head and Walker calmly chests it back to Pickford.

6′ The Czech Republic are struggling to get on the ball here and they’re being forced to drop deep into their own half. England are content to keep possession for now though and aren’t hurrying upfield.

4′ England are still pressing high upfield here and Grealish drives forward down the left. He knocks it out to Shaw and he has three to aim for in the box, but his cross is blocked by Coufal.

2′ OFF THE POST! Shaw picks out Sterling’s run in between the Czech Republic defenders into the left of the box and Vaclik rushes off his line. Sterling chips the ball over the keeper, but he’s unlucky as the ball rebounds off the far post.

1′ Schick gets the game underway for the Czech Republic!

The teams are out on the pitch, the national anthems have been sung, and kick-off is just moments away!

The Czech Republic and England were in the same qualifying group for Euro 2020 – The Three Lions won 5-0 at Wembley and the Czech Republic prevailed 2-1 in Prague. They’re facing each other in a major tournament for the first time.

Gareth Southgate makes four changes to the team that drew with Scotland on Friday. Maguire returns from injury and comes in with Walker, Saka and Grealish. James and Mings drop to the bench, while Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell miss out as they’re isolating. Phil Foden is left out of the squad despite starting the first two games.

Jaroslav Silhavy was clearly pleased with his side’s performance against Croatia last time out as he names an unchanged line-up today.

ENGLAND SUBS: Ben White, Kieran Trippier, Sam Johnstone, Jude Bellingham, Reece James, Conor Coady, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jadon Sancho, Tyrone Mings, Jordan Henderson, Marcus Rashford, Aaron Ramsdale.

ENGLAND STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw; Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling; Harry Kane.

CZECH REPUBLIC SUBS: Tomas Koubek, Matej Vydra, Michal Krmencik, Jakub Brabec, Antonin Barak, Petr Sevcik, Adam Hlozek, Tomas Pekhart, Pavel Kaderabek, Ales Mandous, Ales Mateju, Alex Kral.

CZECH REPUBLIC STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Tomas Vaclik; Vladimir Coufal, Ondrej Celustka, Tomas Kalas, Jan Boril; Tomas Holes, Tomas Soucek; Lukas Masopust, Vladimir Darida, Jakub Jankto; Patrik Schick.

Results in yesterday’s games mean that both teams have secured a place in the round of 16 already, but where they finish in their group is still yet to be determined. After beating Scotland 2-0 before their draw with Croatia, the Czech Republic need to avoid defeat to win the group, while England’s 1-0 win over Croatia and draw with Scotland mean that they need a win to finish top. However, either team here could still finish third if they lose today depending on the result in the other game in Group D.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Group D meeting between Czech Republic and England at Wembley Stadium!