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Czechia win 3-1 on penalties
IRELAND’S CONQUERORS, CZECHIA, have qualified for the 2026 World Cup after another shootout win, over Denmark in Prague.
Michal Sadilek’s penalty sent the Czechs to their first World Cup since 2006, where they will face Mexico, South Africa and South Korea in Group A of the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July.
Tomas Chory and Tomas Soucek also scored for the Czechs in the shootout while Ladislav Krejci was denied by Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
For the visitors, Christian Eriksen was the only shootout scorer while Rasmus Hojlund hit the crossbar, Anders Dreyer was denied by goalkeeper Matej Kovar and Mathias Jensen fired over the crossbar.
Czechia are off to the World Cup!! 🇨🇿
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) March 31, 2026
Heartbreak for Denmark but Michal Sadílek's penalty has sealed it for Czechia.#VMSport #UEQ pic.twitter.com/JeVGRMY7GH
On the chilly night in Prague, Pavel Sulc opened the scoring for the Czechs with a fine volley into the top corner three minutes into the game after the Danish defence had cleared a corner in his direction.
Denmark levelled in the 72nd minute when Mikkel Damsgaard’s free kick found Joachim Andersen in the box ready with a glancing header.
Czech skipper Krejci gave the hosts the lead again in the 100th minute as he picked up a ball knocked down by Soucek in a goalmouth scramble following Vladimir Coufal’s cross.
His shot was deflected into the net by Danish defender Alexander Bah.
But Denmark levelled again in the 111th minute when substitute Kasper Hogh headed home Eriksen’s corner six minutes after coming onto the pitch.
In the play-off semi-finals last week, the Czechs beat Heimir Hallgrímsson’s Ireland on penalties while Denmark breezed past North Macedonia 4-0.
But they had a hard time beating the Czech defence as the hosts parked the bus after the quick opening goal, defending with ten men.
Rasmus Hojlund had his low shot cleared by Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar who also forced Gustav Isaksen’s curling free kick over the crossbar.
The hosts were a threat on the break but Lukas Provod tipped the ball past Hermansen and his right post.
The rest of the match was very much in the same vein with Denmark pushing and missing or finding Kovar’s arms, while the hosts often resorted to blindly clearing the ball.
Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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