The Czech Republic were the only team to win, beating Switzerland in the first round of Group A2 of the 2022/23 Nations League, which also includes Portugal and Spain, who drew in Seville.
The Swiss were defeated this Thursday by 2-1 in Prague. Now he travels to Lisbon, where he will face the Portuguese on Sunday, motivated by the draw, achieved in Andalusia.
Haris Seferovic, from Benfica, still did the last three minutes for Switzerland at the Sinobo stadium, but there was nothing else to do, the Czech victory was consolidated, with the 2-1 that guaranteed the three points scored in the 58th minute, an unfortunate move by Djibril Sow, who tricked his own goalkeeper into scoring an own goal.
In the first half, Jan Kuchta put the hosts ahead, in the 11th minute, and Noah Okafor restored the tie, in the 44th minute.
The Czech mission was “complicated”, but with this result it is on its way to receiving Spain, also on Sunday.
Kuchta, until now a Lokomotiv Moscow player, was the most dangerous striker and deserved the opening goal from a corner.
In the absence of Patrick Schick, recovering from surgery, Kuchta was a constant “headache” for the opposing defense, which was not spared from yellow card tackles.
Until the break, Murat Yakin’s Switzerland played the same, looking for the goal, which came through Okafor, taking advantage of the indecision of the local defense.
In the second half, the Czech Republic “ruled”, with a shot to the post defended by Sommer, before the winning goal -a split ball between Sow and Kuchta, after a Jankto cross-, with the goal credited to the defender.
On their debut in Group A2 of the Nations League, the Czech Republic have plenty of reasons to smile, at least until Sunday.
Source: Observadora
