Česká republika 1 - 2 Ireland (377828804)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 27117 to T-mobile Arena. Fabio Ferrarese was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Ludwik Gurzyński and Volkhard Hösel-Wechner. U-20 Česká republika started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. Starters: Valuch - Stolařík, Modrý, Járka, Minx - Pachman, Barek, Šteffl, Kukol - Vajčner, Hanzal.

U-20 Ireland tactics involved an interesting 5-2-3 combination. The following players had been chosen: Christie - Whelan, ó Súilleabháin, McGinn, Baird, Cooper - Waterford, McClelland - Glynn, Heany, O'Flynn.

U-20 Ireland were relying on their ability to counter-attack. A. Kukol of U-20 Česká republika received a yellow card after 16 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. B. Heany knocked one home from a counterattack down the right wing, making the score 0 - 1 after 21 minutes. 22 minutes into the game, U-20 Česká republika seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to solid. A. Kukol's speed is always a threat when he gets a little room to move, and 39 minutes into the match was no different as he broke free of his man to send a delightful through ball to B. Hanzal who knocked it in for U-20 Česká republika. 1 - 1! 40 minutes into the match, the referee signalled for a U-20 Ireland substitution. T. McStravick came on for G. O'Flynn. As the 40 minute mark approached, the U-20 Ireland coach decided it was time for a substitution. B. Heany reluctantly made way for B. Kirwan on the pitch. After 40 minutes, the U-20 Ireland coach had a quick word about the tactical set-up and decided to try another approach. After 40 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as U-20 Česká republika found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to solid. It was 1 - 1 at the break. U-20 Česká republika had most of the ball, with 60 percent of possession.

During the break, U-20 Česká republika's coach went through the team's tactics yet again, getting them up to solid organisation. D. McGinn would have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise. G. Fitzgerald entered the game for U-20 Ireland as the match clock showed 60 minutes. Š. Pachman's lack of experience almost gave U-20 Ireland a goal after 62 minutes, but the shot went right into the keeper's arms. 65 minutes into the game, U-20 Česká republika wanted to bring some new energy to their game. S. Járka gave J. Chrobok a quick hug as he left the field. Priding himself in being an active coach, the U-20 Česká republika manager gave new instructions to his players after 70 minutes. After 75 minutes, the U-20 Česká republika coach wanted to see a new face on the pitch, waving A. Kukol off the field. G. Štursa took his place. 78 minutes of the match played, and a comedy of errors by the home side gave the visitors a chance at the lead, but D. Baird, after finding himself dashing down on goal from the left with only the keeper to beat, sliced his shot horribly wide. U-20 Ireland's P. Cooper managed to lose the defenders as he advanced down the right wing and scored, putting the visitors ahead after 79 minutes. 1 - 2. With 85 minutes played, the U-20 Česká republika coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. B. Pohořelský came on, Š. Pachman had to leave the fray. U-20 Česká republika claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 53 percent.

Most important U-20 Česká republika player was J. Chrobok. I. Stolařík on the other hand, had a terrible day. U-20 Ireland's top performer was clearly B. Kirwan. G. Fitzgerald was a disappointment, however. The match ends 1 - 2.