Czech Republic move closer to Nations League promotion despite Albania stalemate
Doing a stellar job in their attempt to return to the Nations League League A at the first time of asking, the visitors began positively by remarkably being denied by the crossbar, not once, but twice in the space of 60 seconds.
First, Vaclav Jemelka’s commanding header came back off the woodwork, before Lukas Cerv’s thunderous strike from distance saw Thomas Strakosha flapping at the air in the Albania goal, but the shot also clattered the bar.
Ivan Hasek’s side continued to make their intentions abundantly clear after losing top spot in League B Group 1 to Georgia, following the Crusaders’ 1-1 draw with Ukraine earlier in the evening, as wing wizard Lukas Provod unleashed an audacious effort from outside the area only a matter of millimetres wide of the post.
In terms of Albania causing a shock before the break, after being made to chase the ball for large intervals of the first half, their best opportunity fell onto the head of Qazim Laci.
However, the midfielder - who plays his domestic football in the Czech Republic for Sparta Prague - saw his effort expertly extinguished by the gloves of Matej Kovar.
In a carbon copy of the opening 45 minutes, the Czechs once again flew out of the blocks, with Strakosha at his best to palm Vaclav Cerny’s curling effort away from the fast-arriving Cerv before the goal-hungry Czech international could fire the rebound into the back of the net.
With their early eagerness proving fruitless, the visitors ran out of gas very prematurely, failing to call Strakosha into action again throughout the remainder of the match, with Albania comfortably holding out for a point.
With how things currently stand in the group, the Czech Republic are in pole position to participate with some of the best that international European football has to offer in the 2026/27 edition of the UNL.
However, they will have to wait until Tuesday to confirm that passage, when they face Georgia in Olomouc.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Arlind Ajeti (Albania)