By Matt Chedgzoy
Cymru’s U21 side will have to wait four days to discover the future of their Euro 2025 Qualifying campaign after a 1-2 defeat to Czechia in their final group game.
An own goal from Matt Baker and a second-half strike from Vaclav Sejk set the visitors on their way to victory before Luca Hoole netted a stoppage time consolation for the hosts.
The young Czech side can steal second place from their Welsh counterparts if their defeat Lithuania in their final group stage fixture on Tuesday (Oct 15).
Matty Jones’ side were left without six members of their squad for the game at Rodney Parade, after an administrative error meant that only players who represented the team in their previous fixture against Iceland could be named in the squad on the night.
This left Cymru with a reduced substitutes bench and without the likes of Rubin Colwill and Owen Beck. Two changes were made from the team that won in Iceland, as Evan Watts replaced Ed Beach in goal and Tom Davies came in at left-back.
The Czech team arrived in south Wales with a point to prove after suffering a 5-0 defeat to Denmark in their previous game, knowing that a result against a depleted opposition would keep them firmly in the qualification picture.
First Half
Cymru registered the first chance of the game when Joel Cotterill’s third-minute free kick crashed off the post.
The home side had the better of the opening exchanges and went close again after a quarter of an hour – Joel Colwill’s perfectly weighted cross found Eli King at the back post but he was unable to generate enough power behind his header to beat Lukas Hornicek in the Czech goal.
After his early chance, Cotterill went close again on the 25-minute mark but Hornicek was equal to his low, driven effort.
Despite the early Welsh dominance, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock through the unfortunate Matt Baker.
Matej Hadas’ inviting cross from the right wing was flicked on by Adam Karabec and Matej Jurasek’s half-volley was deflected into the roof of the net by Baker’s outstretched boot.
It was the route into the game that the away side badly needed and they began to take control of proceedings – Vaclav Sejk almost added a quick second goal but his snapshot flew just wide of the post.
Czechia’s captain came close again just minutes later when he avoided the offside trap and found himself one-on-one with Evan Watts, only for the Cymru keeper to produce a fine save.
Watts was called into action again on the stroke of half-time, when Jurasek found a gap in the Welsh defence but saw his shot fended away by the 19-year-old ‘keeper.
Second Half
Czechia’s assault on the Cymru goal continued at the beginning of the second half and they were 0-2 up after fifty minutes.
Karabec picked the ball up on the halfway line and danced his way into the box, unleashing a powerful shot. Watts did well to stop the rasping effort but could only palm the ball into the path of Sejk, who gratefully tapped home to double his side’s lead.
Cymru looked for a way back into the game and came close through Eli King. He unleashed a powerful, dipping shot from twenty yards out but saw it well-held by Hornicek.
They were fortunate not to concede a third goal as the game entered the final quarter of an hour, when Krystof Danek broke free of Baker’s sliding tackle and found himself bearing down on goal. Watts once again came to his team’s rescue, palming away Danek’s shot.
Cymru continued to push for a goal and found one deep in stoppage time. Fin Stevens’ low, drilled cross was flicked deftly into the bottom corner by defender Luca Hoole, up for a corner, to halve the deficit with a matter of minutes left on the clock.
The home side now had wind in their sails but Czechia saw out the remainder of the game to secure a crucial victory and three points.
Full-Time
A win against Lithuania next week would see the young Czechs finish the group stage level on points with Cymru, who have now completed their fixtures. In that eventuality, the second place play-off spot would be determined by a head-to-head record. After a 1-1 draw in the return fixture, Czechia’s win in Newport would be enough to see them through to the play-off stage.
If they were to drop points, Cymru would advance and continue their journey to a potential debut U21 major tournament.
Cymru: Watts, Stevens, Hoole, Baker, Davies, King, Savage (Popov, 54’), Ashworth (Congreve, 74’), Colwill (Hammond, 61’), Cotterill, Thomas (Ashford, 61’).
Unused substitutes: Crew, Williams
Czechia: Hornicek, Vydra, Prebsl, Chaloupek, Hadas, Danek (Langhamer, 87’), Harustak, Icha, Jurasek (Kricfulasi, 90’), Karabec (Sin, 66’), Sejk.
Unused substitutes: Borek, Vecheta, Latal, Kadlec, Halinsky, Julis.
Attendance: 2,386