Czech Republic
Friday, December 31, 2010
Article summary
The three-time semi-finalists lost their first match of the season but remained unbeaten thereafter to qualify for the first time since hosting the final tournament in 2008.
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Semi-finalists in 2003, 2006 and 2008, the Czech Republic made a slow start to their qualifying campaign, taking just one point from their first two qualifying-round games against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (0-1) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (0-0). With their match against Belarus goalless heading into the closing stages, the Czechs were heading out, but three goals in the final 16 minutes took them into the elite round as one of the two best third-placed teams overall.
Jaroslav Hřebík's side improved markedly in the elite round at home, drawing with Russia before one-goal defeats of the Netherlands and Israel; Tomáš Přikryl got the only goal against the Dutch while Patrik Lácha came off the bench to score one and set up another against Israel. "It wasn't luck but the result of responsible performances from the whole side," said Hřebík, whose team's six goals in qualifying came from six different players. "We played like a team and created more chances than our opponents in every game."
Qualifying round: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 0-1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-0, Belarus 3-0 (third in Group 5)
Elite round: Russia 0-0, Netherlands 1-0, Israel 2-1 (Group 5 winners)
Key players
Matěj Vydra (forward, Udinese Calcio), Tomáš Přikryl (forward, SK Sigma Olomouc), Tomáš Koubek (goalkeeper, FC Hradec Králové), Pavel Kadeřábek (defender, AC Sparta Praha), Tomáš Kalas (defender Chelsea FC)
Coach: Jaroslav Hřebík
Date of birth: 16 December 1948
Playing career: FK Viktoria Žižkov, Dukla Praha, AC Sparta Praha, FC Viktoria Plzeň, Spartak BS Vlašim, ČSAD Benešov, TJ Jílové
Coaching career: ČSAD Benešov (player-coach), FK Švarc Benešov, FC Viktoria Plzeň, FK Viktoria Žižkov, FC Hradec Králové, SK Slavia Praha, FK Jablonec, AC Sparta Praha (twice), FC Dynamo Moskva, Czech Republic Under-18, U19
Despite a playing career lasting 20 years, Hřebík only had a short spell in the top flight in the mid-1970s; instead, he made his name as a coach and popular TV pundit. Started his coaching career in earnest at Švarc Benešov, whom he led to the top flight in 1994. Short spells at Viktoria Plzeň, Viktoria Žižkov and Hradec Králové preceded a season in charge of Slavia in 1998/99, where he was dismissed after the club finished third.
After a year at Jablonec he signed for Sparta in 2001, leading the Prague club into the UEFA Champions League second group stage in his only season. After a brief spell in Russia with Dinamo, he had another short stint at Sparta in 2004/05 before joining the Football Association of the Czech Republic (CMFS) as a youth coach.
Team facts
Qualifying top scorer
Tomáš Jeleček, Ladislav Krejčí, Patrik Lácha, Tomáš Přikryl, Martin Sladký, Vojtech Šustr: 1
UEFA European Under-19 Championship best
Semi-finals 2003, 2006, 2008
Honours in UEFA youth competitions
UEFA European Under-18 Championship
Runners-up: 1982, 1983 (both as Czechoslovakia)
UEFA European Under-16 Championship
Winners: 1990 (as Czechoslovakia)
Runners-up: 2000
International Youth Tournament (U18)
Winners: 1968 (as Czechoslovakia)
Other honours
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Runners-up: 2007