Euro 2020 Match 11: Late First-Half Winner for Germany Against Czechs

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

Euro 2020 Match 11: Germany v Czech Republic

Late First-Half Winner for Germany Against Czechs

June 18, 2020

Germany 2 Czech Republic 1

 

Germany hosted the Czech Republic in their opening encounter, defeating their neighbours and ensuring a solid start to their Euro 2020 campaign.

 

The Czechs looked dangerous early, especially when Petr Ševčík took a ping from long range.

 

Instead, Michael Krmenčík nailed a header as the ball drifted from the right wing from Filip Novák. The Czechs were in raptures, both on the field and in the stands, seeing their side take a vital lead against the powerhouses of Deutschland.

 

The striker nearly had a second as he headed a corner to goal, only the German goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, saw it coming and held on perfectly.

 

Down the other end, Marco Reus had a ping blocked by the Czech defence; Serge Gnabry then hit the woodwork from the resulting corner with a power strike.

 

The match became end-to-end football as desperate defending kept the shots away from goal. Then, Reus found himself in the 33rd minute with the ball, and he made no mistake.

 

The match all square, Germany stepped up the pressure, with Leroy Sané scoring with ease when he was put through one-on-one against the Czech goalkeeper, Tomáš Vaclík.

 

After the break, Germany ramped up their attacking pressure. Reus, wide in the 18-yard box, passed back to Player of the Match İlkay Gündoğan, who hit first time. Sané then caught onto the rebound off the goalkeeper, only for the Czech stopper to halt. Then, as the Czechs tried to clear, the ball rebounded off their own player and out for a corner. From the corner clearance, Joshua Kimmich had a ping run wide of the goal.

 

Timo Werner had a chance in the 57th minute, only his chest down and volley had little control and the advertising signs behind the goals were hit with little force.

 

Reus then won a free kick with ten minutes remaining after Germany had the upper hand, though in midfield it was still an even contest. Substitute Julian Brandt took the free kick, requiring a save from a diving keeper to his left. Reus then won the ball from the corner clearance, and played keepings-off, until he put a through ball to Gnabry. The shot, though, did not have enough zing to bother the goalkeeper.

 

The final minutes, end-to-end football, then saw German substitute Emre Can have a ping from long range, only to miss to the left. Sané also had a shot, but with all the pressure as he was falling, the ball fell straight to Vaclík. Sané then set up Reus, whose shot was blocked, as was the follow-up shot of Gnabry. In the end, Germany won 2-1, and their first three points.