The Fortuna Arena in Prague plays host to an early UEFA Nations League basement battle on Tuesday evening, when the Czech Republic pit their wits against Ukraine in League B Group 1.
Ivan Hasek's troops were embarrassed 4-1 by Georgia in their opening assignment, while their visitors failed to cling onto a one-goal lead against Albania, losing 2-1.
Match preview
© Imago
Holidays to Tbilisi may not be on the bucket list of any Czech supporters or indeed players, as Tuesday's hosts found themselves four goals down inside 66 minutes on Saturday thanks to strikes from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Georges Mikautadze, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Giorgi Kochorashvili.
Lukas Kalvach at least managed to wipe out Georgia's clean sheet with 10 minutes remaining, but there was to be no outrageous comeback from Hasek's men, whose misfortunes continued three months on from their group-stage exit at the European Championships.
Relegated from the top tier of the Nations League last season, the Czech Republic will be on a one-way path to the third tier without an end-of-year revival; their -3 goal difference after one game leaves them in fourth place in their League B group.
From winning each of his first four games in the Czech dugout after taking the reins in January, Hasek has now overseen a dismal run of four matches without a victory and is still searching for his first competitive triumph as head coach; all four of his early successes came in friendlies.
The neutral crowd can always expect an entertaining affair when the Czechs are involved, though; Tuesday's hosts have both scored and conceded in all eight games under Hasek's wing and are on an 11-match scoring sequence since being shut out by Albania in November 2023.
© Imago
Albania could coincidentally not keep their sheets clean against Ukraine on Saturday, where right-back Yukhym Konoplya opened the scoring just four minutes into the second half, but it took the Albanians just five minutes to hit back hard.
Indeed, Ardian Ismajli wiped out Ukraine's lead within moments before Jasir Asani completed a lightning-quick turnaround for the 'visitors' - the contest took place at Stadion Letna in Prague as war continues to rage in the Ukrainians' homeland.
Sergiy Rebrov's men therefore only have a short journey to make for their next Nations League engagement, where they square up to a nation who experienced a similarly excruciating summer; Ukraine also suffered a Euros group-stage exit after being tipped as the dark horses by many.
The Blue and Yellow's current third-placed standing would force them to fight for their League B status in the relegation playoffs, but there is ample time for Rebrov's men to turn the tide and contend for promotion to the top tier, which they briefly competed in during the 2020-21 edition.
Ukraine coincidentally rose to League A thanks to a pair of victories over the Czech Republic in the inaugural 2018-19 Nations League, but the spoils were shared when they last locked horns in a 2021 friendly, where Matej Vydra popped up with a 90th-minute equaliser for Tuesday's hosts.
Team News
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Injury was added to insult in the Czech Republic's pummelling at the hands of Georgia, as left wing-back Matej Rynes lasted just 26 minutes before succumbing to an apparent back injury and being replaced by Jaroslav Zeleny.
Whether Rynes can make a miraculous recovery in time for Tuesday remains to be seen, but his Sparta Prague teammate Zeleny will surely be a straight swap on the left-hand side, and the changes should not stop there.
Indeed, goalscorer Kalvach replaced Alex Kral at half time on Saturday and may have played his way into a start, while Adam Hlozek may either compete with or partner Patrick Schick in the final third.
As far as Ukraine are concerned, Rebrov did not lose any players to physical issues in the defeat to Albania, although he lost two key attacking figures to injury before the competition began; Artem Dovbyk and Mykhaylo Mudryk both pulled out of the squad.
The latter's Premier League colleague Oleksandr Zinchenko was only a late substitute in the weekend's contest, but the Arsenal man ought to return to his familiar midfield role with the national team here as Vitaliy Mykolenko continues on the left-hand side.
Captain Andriy Yarmolenko should be restricted to another cameo role off the bench, though, as the former West Ham United winger chases down Andriy Shevchenko at the top of the goalscoring charts; he needs two more to draw level with the legendary striker's 48.
Czech Republic possible starting lineup:
Kovar; Zima, Krejci, Vitik; Coufal, Soucek, Kalvach, Zeleny; Provod, Schick, Hlozek
Ukraine possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matvienko, Mykolenko; Sudakov, Zinchenko, Shaparenko; Tsygankov, Yaremchuk, Kabaev
We say: Czech Republic 1-2 Ukraine
Goals at both ends of the pitch have been a guarantee whenever the Czechs have entered the field in 2024, but the manner of their defensive capitulation in Georgia was alarming.
Even without two pivotal offensive players in Dovbyk and Mudryk, Ukraine have the attacking nous to expose their hosts' shortcomings at the back and have our vote to make it second time lucky, even if a clean sheet also eludes them.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
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