Euro 2020 Match 22: Montenegro Hold on for Win over Czechs

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

Euro 2020 Match 22: Montenegro v Czech Republic

Montenegro Hold on for Win over Czechs

June 21, 2020

Montenegro 3 Czech Republic 2

 

Montenegro ensured the three points were theirs in their second Euro 2020 match, holding on against a late-resurgent Czech Republic.

 

The Czechs needed their first points of the tournament, while Montenegro were buoyed by their draw on Hungarian home soil. Now familiar with the stadium, the Montenegrins felt their chance at a result were fair.

 

This proved the case as Montenegro won an early free kick on the right wing. From the cross, Nikola Vukčević managed to ease in front of his marking man and head home for the opening goal as the clock ticked into the fifth minute.

 

Vukčević then set up a cross onto the head of Stefan Mugoša, who made no mistake with his head.

 

Right back Adam Marušić nearly made it three goals as he cut back into the box, only shooting with his left foot meant the ball flew over the goal.

 

From there, the Montenegrins played keepings off, particularly down by the right back, as they enticed the Czechs to close in, thus creating gaps in their formation. The Czechs, though, only half complied, and the match petered out to little more than a game of possession.

 

In the second half, the Czech Republic looked tentative going forward, unsure of how to wrestle back the two goals. It soon became a margin of three as Player of the Match Vukčević scored again, this time receiving the ball from the left wing, and he guided with his foot into the back of the net.

 

The Czechs finally looked like scoring after the hour mark, as Michael Krmenčík headed for goal after Antonin Barák worked down the right wing and crossed it in. Lukáš Masopust should have scored from the follow up, only goalkeeper Danijel Petković managed to retrieve the ball in time.

 

Finally, the Czechs gained a goal back with Barák guiding a through ball over Petković, after Masopust put the ball behind the Montenegrin defence.

 

The Czechs tried for a second goal, only with a header off a corner that also came off the head of a defender. Then, Vladimír Darida, off the bench, fought for the ball multiple times in the same passage of play. He eventually won, and crossed the ball to Krmenčík, who made no mistake with his head.

 

The Czechs could sense a draw was in their grasp with only a minute to play. Darida had a ping from the edge of the box, though he did not realise he had more time, and missed to the right of goal. David Pavelka then tried with the final shot of the match, only for Montenegro to come away with the three points, and the Czechs, even though they were Nations League champions, are in doubt of the Round of 16.