The Czech footballers lost the key domestic qualification match for advancing to the World Cup in 2023 with Iceland 0: 1 and lost a real chance to advance. The only goal was scored in the 36th minute by Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir, who, according to repeated shots, helped her hand.
Coach Karel Rada’s trustees got the ball into the net at the set time of the second half, but Scottish referee Lorraine Watson did not admit the sickness of the home players, Simona Necidová, due to an alleged foul.
“I don’t have an explanation for that. I have no idea why the referee made this decision. It’s a shame. I don’t know if it was a regular goal or not. But if we managed to score it, we could at least make a turn. Captain Petra Bertholdová told Czech Television.
The Czechs are in third place in the incomplete table of group C, their chances for the historically first promotion to the World Cup are only at the level of theory. They have three games left and the Netherlands lose nine points. Iceland has one more point. The group’s winner will advance to the world championships in Australia and New Zealand, and the other team will go to the draw.
The Czech national team lost to Iceland for the third time in a row. In the October qualification, they defeated 0: 4 in Reykjavík and lost 1: 2 in the February preparatory duel in the USA.
“It’s a pity we didn’t manage to beat them. We played a great match with the top team in the Netherlands. It’s a pity that we then lose to a team like Iceland,” Berthold said.
The Icelanders had a better first half in Teplice and in the 25th minute they threatened for the first time. After the center of Viggósdóttirová, however, the striker Albertsdóttirová headed from a promising position above the goal.
Eleven minutes later, however, the visiting players were met. After a long car, goalkeeper Votíková pulled Viggósdóttirová’s head to the crossbar and Jónsdóttirová came into the net. The 33-year-old midfielder played according to repeated hand shots, but the referees acknowledged the goal.
The Czechs put their opponents in the second half under pressure, but for a long time they could not work out a clear chance. Only at the set time did Necidová direct the center of Krejčiříková to the goal, but according to Judge Watson, the goal was preceded by a foul.
“We didn’t play well in the first half and we imagined. We were not very aggressive, we didn’t get to the end and we didn’t have as many starts for defense. In the second half it gradually improved, we got under pressure, but we still had few opportunities. Most “We are worried now that we are not scoring goals. We need to improve the transition phase, quality and emphasis in the ending,” said coach Rada.
Qualification of the World Cup 2023 football players in Teplice:
Group C:
CR – Iceland 0: 1 (0: 1)
Branka: 36. G. Jónsdóttirová
Czech Republic: Votíková – Šlajsová, Bertholdová, Necidová, Dlasková – Krejčiříková, Cahynová – Bartoňová (86. Černá), K. Dubcová (81. Chlastáková), Szewieczková (67. Martínková) – Stašková. Coach: K. Rada.
Table:
| 1. | Island | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 19:2 | 15 |
| 2. | The Netherlands | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 27:3 | 14 |
| 3. | CR | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11:8 | 5 |
| 4. | Belarus | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5:9 | 4 |
| 5. | Cyprus | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2:42 | 1 |
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