Coach Jaroslav Šilhavy’s men decided the opening match against the Group E favorite in a sold-out Eden with a lightning start: after 27 seconds, Ladislav Krejčí Jr. scored the fastest goal for the representative “A” team since the division of the federation, and Tomáš Čvančara also increased the score in the third minute with his first goal in the national A-team.
The third goal for the home team was also scored by a Spartan, Jan Kuchta scored in the 64th minute. For the Poles, who, unlike the Czech team, took part in the World Championship in Qatar at the turn of November and December, substitute Damian Szymaňski made the save in the end. The visitors did not have a good debut under the new Portuguese coach Fernando Santos, their captain Robert Lewandowski did not make an impact at Eden.
Coach Šilhavý surprised and did not use the midfielders Barák and Černý in the starting line-up, who are doing well in foreign clubs at the beginning of the spring. The Czech coach opted for a formation with three stoppers and two forwards. Left back David Jurásek and Čvančara, who collaborated offensively with his colleague from Sparta Prague Kuchta, made their debut for the representative A-team. In the goal, Pavlenka unexpectedly got priority over Vaclík and Staňek, and the recovered fullback Coufal was not missing on the right wing.
Unexpected moves quickly paid off for Šilhavé. Right at the start, the home team won a free throw-in in front of the Czech and Polish prime ministers, and after Coufal’s long ball with his head, the onrushing Krejčí opened the scoring after only 27 seconds, who started at left stopper. The 23-year-old Spartan defender scored his first goal in the national A-team and at the same time took care of the fastest goal of the Czech national team since the division of the federation.
The dream start was underlined by Šilhavé’s charges soon after with another goal after the cooperation of the two newcomers. Jurásek on the left side sprinted past the opponent and his precise cross from close range in front of goalkeeper Szczesný was used by Čvančar at 2:10. Even the twenty-two-year-old striker celebrated his first goal in the national team. For the first time in individual history, the Czech team scored twice in the opening three minutes.
The scalded Poles first threatened in the 20th minute, when Pavlenka deflected Frankowski’s ground shot. The Czech goalkeeper also dealt with Linnetty’s attempt. The home team could have added a third goal already in the first half, but Szczesny caught Čvančara twice from close range.
Santos made two substitutions after the break, but the Czechs continued to defend carefully and did not let the eight-finalist of the recent European Championship into chances. On the contrary, Šilhávé’s selection was threatened by breaks. Čvančara has not yet made his mark, but in the 64th minute he did not hesitate after Králov’s low center from the left in front of Szczesny. The Spartan forward scored for the third time in the national team.
In the end, Pavlenka did not get a clean sheet, in the 87th minute he was beaten from close range by substitute Damian Szymaňski. But it didn’t have to bother the Czechs too much, they won the fourth of their last five matches. The new Polish coach Santos had a much worse game in Eden during his debut on the bench than in the autumn, when he led the Portuguese to a great 4-0 victory in the League of Nations.
