Czech Republic turn back the clock to write a new chapter of success at Euro 2020
Rarely does football work in such predictable fashion so as to follow patterns over a period of years, decades even, but Czech Republic’s victory over Netherlands in the Euro 2020 round of 16 clash on Sunday ensures that one such template continues.
Since the country split and reformed, Czechoslovakia becoming two nations and the modern Czech Republic side forming, they have achieved precisely one of two things at European Championship finals: either crashed out in underwhelming fashion at the first hurdle, or impressed to head into the knockouts and deep into the competition – alternating these two levels of impact each time.
The first was Euro 96, the memorable Czech side of Patrik Berger, Karel Poborsky and Pavel Nedved. They went all the way to the final, ending as runners-up. At Euro 2000 it was the groups and a single victory, just like at Euro 2008 – but in between, at Portugal 2004, they embarked on a run to the semi-finals. 2012 saw them reach the last eight, before again last time out it was only the groups, and only one point earned.
They were, by their own four-year-cycle of results, due for a run into the latter stages – indeed, overdue, given we’re all a year delayed in watching these games.
Even so, few would have given them much chance of being one of the last eight at this summer’s competition; even with a handful of impressive Premier League and Bundesliga performers in the squad, even with a successful Nations League campaign behind them toward the end of last year, Czech Republic were third favourites at best in the group stage alone and unfancied against the Dutch.
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They came into the tournament with just one player in the squad who has double figures in international goals, one of the issues within the group.
Yet they won here, beating Netherlands 2-0, and in Patrik Schick they now have the second-highest scorer at Euro 2020, his four goals behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.
The goals came only after the Dutch went down to 10 men, it will be pointed out. This is correct, yet also misses a huge part of the point where this Czech side are concerned: in the 55th minute, when the red card was shown to Matthijs de Ligt, the two sides had managed the same amount of shots, with Czech Republic having the only one on target. They had matched the Dutch, removed the fact of being technically inferior by being – by a distance – more organised and difficult to break down.
That isn’t a new trait. In four games at Euro 2020 now, Czech Republic have conceded just twice.
What they may lack in household attackers in the modern age, they have made up for in understanding and familiarity in key partnerships all over the pitch. And they have Schick.
Against Netherlands, as in previous games, he was quiet for long stretches, marginalised in open play and sporadic counter-attacks, but coming alive at set plays and when the ball broke his way inside the penalty area.
They will not only be unafraid of facing Denmark in the quarter-finals, but actively believing – as will the Danes – that there is a route before them which could lead to the last four once more, and perhaps even beyond.
This might not be the vintage of yesteryear in terms of stars on the European stage, but Czech Republic have a scattering of talented youngsters – Alex Kral and Adam Hlozek chief among them – who provide hope for the future. Right now though, it’s not potential which keeps them from losing, it’s reliability. It’s organisation. It’s a team ethic and patience. It’s back-up players from Sevilla, Burnley and Hoffenheim.
Czech Republic, with their timely, alternating face at the European Championship, are into the last eight once more.
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