Czechs look forward to 2006

The Czech Republic secured FIFA World Cup qualification as an independent nation for the first time tonight after a 1-0 second-leg win against Norway in Prague completed a 2-0 aggregate triumph.

Injury doubt
A doubt with an ankle injury before the match, Tomáš Rosický scored the only goal on 35 minutes, applying an astute volley after latching on to Milan Baroš's deflected cross. It was the BV Borussia Dortmund playmaker's seventh goal in this qualifying campaign, but arguably the most important as it afforded some breathing space to the Czechs whose lead had until then been a precarious one following Vladimír Šmicer's goal in Oslo.

Missing anchor
Karel Brückner made only one change to the side which won on Saturday, with Jan Polák replacing suspended captain Tomáš Galásek as the midfield anchor. Meanwhile, Norway coach Åge Hareide reshuffled his pack, making three changes as André Bergdølmo, Jan Gunnar Solli and Christian Grindheim made way for Jon Inge Høiland, Thorstein Helstad and Fredrik Strømstad.

Fraught opening
The changes almost paid dividends as early as the fourth minute but, unmarked at the back post, John Carew contrived to shoot straight at defender Tomáš Ujfaluši. Czech captain Pavel Nedvěd responded in kind for the home side, forcing a save from Thomas Myhre with a well-struck free-kick on eleven minutes, and Šmicer should have done likewise soon after but failed to control the ball and the opportunity went begging.

Čech saves
After Šmicer had spurned an even easier chance just after the half-hour, Rosický calmed the home side's nerves with a clinical volley. The goal failed to quash Norwegian aspirations, however, and goalkeeper Petr Čech had to be alert to deny Steffen Iversen just before half-time. He tipped Carew's header to safety just after the restart as Norway began to step up the pressure, but for all their possession, the visitors struggled to create chances.

Disallowed goals
Čech made a stunning acrobatic save to again deny Carew on 73 minutes, but as Norway strove forward, gaps began to appear in their defence. Šmicer and Karel Poborský both put the ball in the back of the net in the closing stages from offside positions, but it mattered not as a single goal proved enough to book their first finals appearance since 1990 when they reached the quarter-finals as Czechoslovakia.