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Czechs determined to check Denmark |
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June 19, 2000
KNOKKE-HEIST, Belgium (AP) - The Czech Republic's match against Denmark is a formality for both teams after they were eliminated from the tournament, so both will attack Wednesday's game as a first preparation test for the 2002 World Cup.
The two nations will be looking to salvage some pride from Euro 2000, after they lost their first two matches against the Netherlands and France.
In the so-called Group of Death Denmark never stood much of a chance, but the elimination of the Czechs, the top European team in FIFA's rankings, came as a bitter blow.
Ironically, the Czechs and Danes will meet again in their World Cup qualification group.
Czech coach Jozef Chovanec still tried to see the game as part of Euro 2000. "We can't mix the Euro and the World Cup qualification."
But some players clearly look further.
"The match will be something like a rehearsal, their team won't really change too much after the Euro" said Czech defender Tomas Repka. "It's an important game we have to win."
That statement says something about the Czech Republic's morale and determination to reward the thousands of fans who came to support their team, many of them accompanying it at every turn.
"So far, we've played some really good soccer, but if we lose to the Danes, everything might turn against us, the good soccer might be forgotten," Repka said. "All we needed was a bit of luck, and so far we haven't had it."
The Czechs hit the post and bar against the Netherlands and lost 1-0 on a hotly-disputed late penalty. Against France too, forward Jan Koller hit the bar, but the team went down 2-1.
Midfield Karel Poborsky, the standout figure in the Czech Republic's matches against the Dutch and the French, said his team showed it is capable of showcase soccer, but was unlucky.
"At the Euro '96, we didn't play as well as this time, but we had some luck. Now, it's the other way round," the 28-year old Benfica Lisbon star said, referring to the last European championships where the Czechs finished as runners-up.
"Now, it will be important to say farewell to this tournament in a dignified way, to win after all. It's no use dealing with the two losses anymore."
The Czechs had a free program after Friday's match against France to get over what is a major disappointment for them.
"We chatted with the lads, had a beer, played cards, loosened up, stayed up a bit late," Repka said. "Life goes on, we have to forget."
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