GLASGOW: Scotland’s long-awaited return to a major international tournament was ruined by Patrik Schick’s slick finishing as the Czech Republic won 2-0 at Hampden on Monday to move top of Euro 2020 Group D.
Schick’s header just before half-time opened the scoring, but it was his stunning strike from just inside the Scotland half after the break that will live in the memory as one of the all-time great European Championship goals.
After a 23-year wait to qualify for a major tournament, Scotland’s hopes of making more history by getting out of the group for the first time now look slim.
Steve Clarke’s men face England next on Friday at Wembley before hosting World Cup finalists Croatia at Hampden on June 22.
Playing in front of fans at Hampden for the first time since November 2019 with 12,000 in attendance, Scotland made a nervous start.
David Marshall was the hero of penalty shootout wins over Israel and Serbia to qualify and was needed early on to turn Schick’s powerful effort at the near post behind.
The hosts were desperately missing the driving runs and poise on the ball normally provided by Kieran Tierney on the left side of a back three.
Clarke has settled on a 3-5-2 to make way for two of the Premier League’s best left-backs in the same team.
Without the Arsenal defender, Liverpool’s Andy Robertson was his side’s biggest threat with a series of rampaging runs.
His cross was turned narrowly wide by Lyndon Dykes at the near post before the Scotland captain was denied a moment to remember by Tomas Vaclik.
Robertson burst onto Ryan Christie’s pass but his shot that was headed for the top corner was tipped over by the Sevilla goalkeeper.
A cagey game of few chances burst into life after Schick’s towering leap put the visitors in front three minutes before half-time.
Scotland were slow to react after initially clearing a corner and the Bayer Leverkusen forward rose highest to flick home Vladimir Coufal’s cross.
Marshall was called into action to make two quick saves from Schick and Vladimir Darida in an explosive start to the second-half.
But twice Scotland were inches away from levelling when Jack Hendry’s dipping effort came back off the crossbar before Vaclik clawed away a mishit clearance from Tomas Kalas.
However, the home side were stunned by a moment of brilliance from Schick on 52 minutes as he spotted Marshall off his line from halfway and bent in an incredible shot from just inside the Scotland half.
Chances continued to come and go for Scotland as Stuart Armstrong’s shot was deflected onto the roof of the net and Vaclik’s outstretched leg denied Dykes from close range.
But it was Schick who had the best opportunity late on to complete a memorable hat-trick when he fired too close to Marshall.
Beating old rivals England would more than make amends for the Tartan Army’s disappointment, but Scotland now have a mountain to climb if they are to prevent their long-awaited adventure ending in familiar fashion.
Scotland stunned by Czechs’ Schick on Euro return
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Scotland stunned by Czechs’ Schick on Euro return
- Schick headed the Czechs in front before the break and then doubled the lead on 52 minutes with an incredible strike from just inside the Scotland half
- After a 23-year wait to qualify for a major tournament, Scotland’s hopes of making more history by getting out of the group for the first time now look slim
Al-Fateh lose in seven-goal thriller to Al-Kholood as Toney rescues Al-Ahli with hat-trick
- Mourad Batna misses penalty to equalise minutes before Al-Fateh collapse against Al-Kholood
- Al-Ahli trailed against Al-Khaleej in the first half before an 18-minute hat-trick from Ivan Toney secured the three points
AL-HASA: Matchday 17 of the Saudi Pro League kicked off in thrilling fashion, with 12 goals scored across two matches. Al-Fateh fell to a 5-2 defeat against Al-Kholood in front of more than 7,000 fans, while Al-Ahli thrashed Al-Khaleej 4-1 in the Ivan Toney show. The third game of the day, by contrast, ended goalless as Al-Shabab and Al-Najma played out a stalemate.
The energy at the Al-Fateh Stadium was high from the outset. Fresh off a five-game winning streak, the hosts had climbed the table after flirting with the relegation places earlier in the season. Sitting in ninth and pushing for the top six, a meeting with an out-of-form Al-Kholood seemed like an ideal place to continue their rise.
Al-Kholood, however, started in a manner entirely unexpected by José Manuel Gomes’ side. Two goals in quick fashion saw the visitors race into a 2-0 lead within the opening 20 minutes. Through balls proved Al-Fateh’s kryptonite, as Ramiro Enrique struck past Fernando Pacheco in the 12th minute before Muhammad Sawan followed up in with a tight-angle finish seven minutes later.
Al-Fateh’s threat largely came from set-pieces, with a Mourad Batna free-kick palmed over the bar by Juan Cozzani their clearest opening. Zaydou Youssouf then took matters into his own hands, driving forward from deep and firing home from distance in first-half stoppage time to pull one back. He nearly levelled moments later from a similar position, only for Cozzani to deny him this time.
The second half started with Al-Fateh on the front foot, but Al-Kholood struck against the run of play in the 55th minute after Hattan Bahebri capitalised on a reboud that came back off the post.
The goal briefly reignited the hosts. Al-Fateh pulled one back immediately with a goal from a corner in the 57th minute and were handed a golden opportunity to equalise 10 minutes later when Batna was brought down inside the box.
Batna’s penalty, however, struck the post, sending the Al-Fateh Stadium into silence. Al-Kholood seized the moment, with substitute Abdulrahman Al-Dosari restoring their two-goal cushion in the 71st minute after a series of intricate passes, before Enrique completed his brace for their fifth in the 81st minute.
The victory lifts Al-Kholood temporarily to 12th place, six points clear of the relegation zone. Al-Fateh remain ninth on 21 points, with NEOM close behind and still to play.
In Jeddah, Al-Ahli endured a shaky opening against Al-Khaleej. A powering run from Paolo Fernandes ended with a floated cross to the far post, where Giorgos Masouras headed home to give the visitors the lead in the 19th minute.
The second half belonged entirely to Ivan Toney, who moved into second place in the league’s scoring charts with a devastating hat-trick. In the 59th minute, he met a cross from Ali Majrashi in behind the defence to equalise with a first-time finish.
Eight minutes later, he capitalised on Anthony Moris’ poor handling of Wenderson Galeno’s effort to put Al-Ahli ahead. Finally, he would cap off his wonderful night with another first-time finish, this time after a clever headed assist from Riyad Mahrez.
Rayan Hamed added the icing on the cake with a fourth in the 86th minute, sending the home fans into celebration as Al-Ahli moved to 37 points in second place, four behind leaders Al-Hilal, who have a game in hand.
Action returns on Wednesday, with Al-Okhdood welcoming Al-Riyadh in Najran at 6:30pm before Al-Ettifaq face NEOM and Damac welcome Al-Nassr at 8:30pm.
