Czechia vs England: Five Withdrawals, No Clean Sheets and a Night in Prague Tuchel Cannot Afford to Lose

by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga

image Czechia vs England: Five Withdrawals, No Clean Sheets and a Night in Prague Tuchel Cannot Afford to Lose
Three days after Spain came from behind to beat them 3-2 at Wembley, England travel to Prague for a Nations League fixture that already feels urgent. Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento have all withdrawn from the squad through injury. Thomas Tuchel's side have not kept a clean sheet in six consecutive matches, conceding 13 goals across that run. Czechia lost their own opener 1-2 to Croatia under new manager Santi Denia, the first foreign-born coach in the country's football history. Both sides sit on zero points. Neither can afford another defeat.
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Saturday's Damage Still Fresh

The defensive errors that ended England's World Cup in the semi-final against Argentina resurfaced in the UEFA Nations League in Wembley on Saturday.

Already without five squad members who withdrew through injury before the window began, Tuchel's side conceded inside two minutes when Lamine Yamal capitalised on a Marc Guehi error on the edge of the box.

Anthony Gordon equalised on 36 minutes and Harry Kane headed England in front four minutes later, but a missed Kane penalty early in the second half proved costly.

Alex Baena, introduced as a substitute on 55 minutes, levelled on 60 after Nico O'Reilly gifted him possession with a careless back pass. Then Mikel Oyarzabal completed the comeback on 74 minutes.

Spain finished the game with three goals from 15 shots. England had 13 of their own but could not find an answer in the final quarter of the match.

England have now gone six consecutive matches without keeping a clean sheet, conceding 13 goals across that stretch. The group table after matchday one reads:

  • Spain three points,
  • Croatia three points,
  • Czechia zero points,
  • England zero.

Saturday's result was England's second defeat in three matches, after the 1-2 World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina in July. A second Nations League defeat tonight would leave Tuchel's side staring at relegation from League A with trips to Spain and Croatia still to come.

Five Players Out, Two More in Doubt

Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento all withdrew from the original 27-man squad on September 21, five days before the Spain match:

  • Mainoo and Rashford picked up knocks during Manchester United's draw at Fulham.
  • Meanwhile, Livramento underwent a scan after reporting discomfort in training.
  • Moreover, Everton's James Garner and Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White were called up as replacements, but neither has featured for England since the March friendly window.
  • Ezri Konsa trained separately on Monday with an unspecified issue.
  • O'Reilly is available but his confidence will have taken a hit after Saturday.
  • Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to start at right-back after Jarell Quansah filled the role against Spain, with Lewis Hall continuing at left-back.

The forward line is in fine shape though, as Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Gordon all started on Saturday and are fit for tonight. Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers offer alternatives from the bench, and 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool is in line for a first senior cap if Tuchel decides to rotate.

Czechia: Rebuilding Under Foreign Management for the First Time

Santi Denia's first competitive match ended in a 1-2 defeat to Croatia at this same ground on Saturday. Luka Modric struck from outside the box on 48 minutes, Adam Karabec equalised seven minutes later, and Mario Pasalic restored Croatia's lead on 77 minutes.

A Czech goal was then disallowed by VAR for offside in the 82nd minute, drawing loud boos from the home crowd.

Denia, a Spaniard who coached Spain's age-group teams and led the Olympic side to gold at Paris 2024, replaced Miroslav Koubek in late July after a World Cup campaign that ended in the group stage.

He is the first coach from outside Czechoslovak football to lead the senior national team.

And the squad has been reshaped by a wave of retirements, as Patrik Schick, Vladimir Darida, Tomas Holes, Vaclav Cerny and Jaroslav Zeleny all stepped down after the tournament.

What’s more, Tomas Soucek is injured. Karabec, who scored the equaliser against Croatia, is a doubt after picking up a knock in the same match. Meanwhile, Hoffenheim striker Adam Hlozek leads the attack.

The hosts will draw confidence from history, as the last time these two sides met in Prague, Czechia won 2-1 during Euro 2020 qualifying in October 2019.