Illustrative photo – Czech Republic – Andorra, match of group G qualification of the 2023 European Championship for under-21 footballers. June 13, 2022 Brno. Patrik Vydra, Daniel Fila, Adama Gabriel, Adam Karabec
Batumi (Georgia) – Czech under-21 footballers will play England on Thursday in the European Championship. Coach Jan Suchopárek's team will try to avenge two defeats in the qualification. The match in Batumi, Georgia kicks off at 18:00 CEST. The other opponents of the “Lion Cubs” in Group C are Germany and Israel.
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“We know England very well from mutual matches in the qualification, where we lost to them twice. We certainly learned a lesson. We don't want to get into a deep block, that's not our plan,” the website of the Football Association of the Czech Republic (FAČR) quoted midfielder Pavel Šulec, who was eliminated at the “small” Euro two years ago with the team already in the group.
The Czechs lost 1:3 in England, then 1:2 at home. “We want to present ourselves in such a way that they don't play easily, don't let them combine around our goal. This happened in England, where we quickly scored three goals. In the return match in České Budějovice, we played good passages with them, closed them down in their half and they were able to keep the ball. On Thursday, we have to take to the pitch as one team. They are individually great, they are already stars from the Premier League at this age. But maybe it can hurt them,” said Šulc.
Three days after the match against England, the Lions will face the Germans again in Batumi, then finish the group in Kutaisi on June 28 against Israel. These duels will also take place from 18:00. Along with Georgia, the tournament is also co-hosted by Romania.
The 21st team will appear at the European Championship for the eighth time. In her last three appearances, she finished in the main stage each time. Her greatest success is the gold medal in 2002.
Expected lineup of the Czech Republic: Jaroš – Gabriel, Vitík, Hranáč, Pech – Žambůrek, Červ – Šulc, Karabec, Daněk – Sejk.< /p>