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For more than a quarter of this encounter, a venue in Scotland’s congested International Hall of Shame attracted attention. The Czech Republic, which had improvised a whole team 48 hours in advance after the Covid-related problems, had a well-deserved advantage in Olomouc and the visitors were hard at work. There were reasons for the Czechs to wonder why the hell, in apparent panic at the weekend, they tried to postpone the tie.
A Lyndon Dykes goal, a first for Scotland, in his second appearance, preceded Ryan Christie and earned his team respectability from the penalty spot. However, there should not be, and will not be, yelling and screaming after an unconvincing success against a team where only two players had tried international football before.
After two games and the resumption of the League of Nations, legitimate doubts remain about the Scots’ preparation for a Euro 2021 playoff against Israel in early October. Steve Clarke made five changes to his starting team after the draw against Israel on Friday, but Scotland still lacked fluidity and looked incredibly generous on defense. The alarm bells must ring.
Clarke doesn’t care much about focusing on systems, but successive attempts at a three-man baseline cannot be considered positive. A glorified Czech league select had Clarke restless to full time, courtesy of a series of set pieces that had his team in occasional panic. Czech players deserve immense credit for their attitude, as it pokes fun at their underdog status.
Craig Levein will be glad there is another curious landmark for a trip from Scotland to the Czech Republic. A decade has passed since he deployed a 4-6-0 formation for a match in Prague, but Scottish fans and commentators have not forgiven or forgotten. The mere mention of that configuration triggers all kinds of angry reactions.
There was anger from the Tartan Army, again, 11 minutes into this game. An unfortunate start in Scotland was punished by Jakub Pesek, a 27-year-old official who marked his international debut in memorable fashion. Pesek smartly doubled his run behind Scott McTominay, picked up a pass from Stanislav Tecl and swiftly passed the advancing David Marshall.
Scotland now sported red faces along with light blue shirts. As Marshall scrambled to wrest a long-range effort from Pesek, Clarke had reason to be grateful for the absence of travel support.
It took the visitors 24 minutes to produce something that vaguely resembled a coherent attack, Liam Palmer and Christie shooting back-to-back crosses that had the defense flapping its wings.
Palmer’s next ball, low and attractive from the right flank, was the signal Dykes needed to launch his first international goal. One of the many puzzling aspects of the opening period related to Scotland’s passivity after Dykes brought them back to proceedings.
The ruling party would soon give them a hand, as if they were worthy of another. Tomas Malinsky clearly had marauder Andy Robertson’s jersey on, with the Liverpool full-back smart enough to wait until he was inside the penalty area before going down. The offense appeared to take place in free-throw territory. Christie, for the second time in two games, headed home to score, close to the left of Ales Mandous. Scotland’s moderate celebrations told their own story.
Marek Havlik’s post cut with a free kick emphasized that the makeshift hosts were unwilling to accept their fate. Marshall brilliantly saved from Pesek, with Tecl tripping over the ball when he was given an obvious chance on the rebound.
Callum Paterson, rather than the injured Dykes, should have calmed Scotland’s nerves when he was sent on goal, but instead reduced his effort.
Even in victory, this pretty much summed up Scotland’s night. Marshall was Clarke’s best player. What a full-fledged Czech team would have done to Scotland is anyone’s guess.
