Czech Republic beat Ireland on penalties to set up Denmark play-off final

[p]Path D of these European WC play-offs concocted an intriguing semi-final showdown between two nations that had made just one appearance each on football’s biggest stage this century.[/p][p]Perhaps buoyed by a dramatic win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hungary/MTVhw6Go/"]Hungary[/a] in their final group game, it was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/6LHwBDGU/"]Ireland[/a] who began the brighter of the two sides. Skipper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/collins-nathan/4AmU39Qm/"]Nathan Collins[/a] saw his deflected shot cannon off the bar, before he headed wide from Finn Azaz’s subsequent corner.[/p][p]They were rewarded for that fast start when referee Glenn Nyberg pointed to the spot after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darida-vladimir/nkKnsgtI/"]Vladimir Darida[/a] was penalised for kicking Collins’ raised leg in the box. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/parrott-troy/K6H9Uptn/"]Troy Parrot[/a] fired the resulting penalty past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kovar-matej/tIXuiy4C/"]Matej Kovar[/a], despite the Czech shot-stopper diving the right way.[/p][embed guid="d6e70d7e-a77a-4c1f-be4b-5f40b03572ce" url="https://x.com/IrelandFootball/status/2037298253452935348?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet" social-type="twitter" /][p]Those travelling Ireland fans were celebrating again just five minutes later, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/manning-ryan/bcjICzbK/"]Ryan Manning[/a]’s corner caused carnage in the box and eventually resulted in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/coufal-vladimir/n92l9Tl1/"]Vladimir Coufal[/a]’s attempted clearance rebounding off the woodwork and Kovář before crossing the line.[/p][p]However, this pulsating first half would take another twist when Manning was penalised for pulling back Ladislav Krejčí in the box for a stonewall penalty. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schick-patrik/WzQQSSfc/"]Patrik Schick[/a] made no mistake from 12 yards, converting past a wrong-footed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kelleher-caoimhin/4S8JqWN0/"]Caoimhin Kelleher[/a] to halve the deficit heading into half-time.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/molumby-jayson/fN0LlG8Q/"]Jayson Molumby[/a] came within inches of extending Ireland’s lead after the restart when his long-range effort bounced off the post, but it was the hosts asking most of the questions.[/p][p]Miroslav Koubek’s side were taking a direct approach in their bid to restore parity, as Krejčí’s header from Coufal’s searching cross was parried over by Kelleher.[/p][p]Fortunately for the Boys in Green, the Czechs were struggling to build much momentum, and Heimir Hallgrimsson’s men threatened a sucker punch to rubber-stamp their position in the final, but Kovar was on hand to make a fine save to push away Parrott’s header from Dara O’Shea’s headed flick on.[/p][image alt="Czech Republic had to come from behind to force extra time" id="e6d07386-ac94-4729-ada8-1fed3cb4c695" credit-line="Photo by MILAN KAMMERMAYER / AFP" guid="9f65b759-9c60-469c-85d8-37ae38304ca5" original-width="3415" original-height="2277" /][p]A sucker punch would come, but it was the Czechs who provided it. Krejci was named captain of his national side earlier in the week, and marked a momentous week in his career with a fine glancing header at the near post from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sadilek-michal/zJiFbA7r/"]Michal Sadílek[/a]’s corner to take this absorbing contest into extra time.[/p][p]All of the impetus was now with Koubek’s team, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/soucek-tomas/8zWzYFRF/"]Tomas Soucek[/a] should have completed the turnaround when he blazed a close-range attempt over the bar from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/karabec-adam/SClyr2eG/"]Adam Karabec[/a]'s cross. Irish nerves were then shredded further before a VAR review ultimately determined Molumby's handball from Schick’s shot was just outside the box.[/p][p]There were worrying scenes as extra time came to a close, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/szmodics-sammie/OdLRnjH1/"]Sammie Szmodics[/a] stretchered off after a nasty collision with S[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chaloupek-stepan/W4rJpOaK/"]tepan Chaloupek[/a]. Penalties ensued, and after a saved spot-kick each, Kovar denied [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/browne-alan/pEzqXlRq/"]Alan Browne[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kliment-jan/8hRwt7Me/"]Jan Kliment[/a] fired home the decisive penalty to send the hosts through after a 4-3 shootout victory.[/p][p]They can now look forward to playing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denmark/0KUdxQVi/"]Denmark[/a] on Tuesday, where a victory would see them become the first team to represent the Czechs on a global stage since one featuring the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cech-petr/fTjQ34vo/"]Petr Cech,[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rosicky-tomas/v50zQruO/"]Tomas Rosicky[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nedved-pavel/d2Sx7KDN/"]Pavel Nedved[/a] 20 years ago.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krejci-ladislav/nZ8SVvvE/"]Ladislav Krejci[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/6LHwBDGU/"]Czech Republic[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Player ratings" id="40626f2d-090a-41af-85c9-a6e47b1f3e9e" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="bef48c3a-2296-4b2e-8a55-9329d4135deb" original-width="1080" original-height="1920" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/czech-republic-6LHwBDGU/ireland-Gfyqk1aG/?mid=x297yduB"]Catch up on all the match stats with Flashscore by clicking here[/a][/h2]