Credit to the near 40,000 that turined up at the Aviva Stadium to watch the game that might have been our path to the World Cup last night. Hopefully a similar crowd will be their later this month when the republic of Ireland play against Poland in their Nations League / World Cup Qualifier match.
Sweden beat Poland last night, with an 88th minute winner at home, wouldn’t that have been nice. Turkey beat Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina cause dthe upset of the round by dunmping out Italy with a flawless penalty shoot out where their illustrious visitors missed two of their first three and never got any further.
But the one of greatest interest was back in Praque where the Czechs hosted Denmark. They mixed it up from the Ireland game last Thursday by leading early and then being clawed back before going to a familiar route of penalties once more.
This time again, while they missed one, through captain and our nemesis Ladislav Krejčí but Denmark hit the crossbar, had one saved and blazed one over the bar, so that Czechia broke a 20 year drought and will be heading to Mexico and Atlanta in our place.
The next three months will be the best of fun for them with a nation going football mad, classrooms thinking of nothing else and memories being forged for a lifetime. We know, We’ve been there.
Just to rub salt in my wounds, and now yours, I ran a simulation of what the most likely outcome of their games would be, so here goes.
A 1-1 draw in their opener against Korea, followed by a 2-1 win over South Africa and a 2-1 defeat to Mexico. Korea will draw with South Africa meaning that four points is enough for the Czech’s to advance where they will meet france in the Round of 16 and go no further suffering a 2-0 revers but coming home to a hero’s welcome for giving it their best shot.
It was our dream, now it is theirs, and good luck to them. If we are looking for a team to cheer on, at least we are familiar with their players now…
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