Match Report
First half:
It takes Czechoslovakia 30 seconds to state their intent, when Kocian aims a 50 yard pass for Griga to chase, but it is hit too long and the ball runs out of play. They continue to be all over the visitors early on, and 5,25 in it pays off, when Chovanec’ sweetly lifted left-footed pass just clears the head of Marcel Bossi and drops onto the foot of Hašek, whose first touch sees the ball ricochet on to Griga. The Sparta Praha forward rams it home with his left foot, leaving van Rijswijck with no chance. One could well say that it was a case of ‘what the doctor had ordered’, as the man in charge at the Czechoslovakian bench would have wanted an early goal to settle any nerves.
His team selection was indeed an interesting one, and though it did contain quite a few attacking players, some could perhaps have claimed that he could’ve let out a defensive midfielder when facing Luxembourg at home. However, Dr Vengloš knew he had to get his team’s balance right. And he had. The experienced Kocian sat just in front of the three central defenders. However, those three behind him were allowed to venture forward, though no one did more so than Chovanec, the elegant sweeper. At times he looked more like a midfield director than someone originally in a defending position. Kocian fell back into defence when either of the three decided to join in attack, and although there was little risk in Luxembourg committing a lot of men forward at the same time, Czechoslovakia knew they would never shirk away from their defensive responsibilities.
With the industrious captain Hašek and the energetic Bílek in midfield roles just ahead of Kocian, the home side had players who could tear the Luxembourg midfield apart. They would both run all day, Hašek in particular. And then there were options of feeding either Němeček on the right or Moravčík on the left, if they did not opt to let one of the two strikers challenge the over-worked Luxembourg backline. It was plain to see that all of this was too much for the visitors to deal with.
It was perhaps surprising to see that Philipp had put Scheuer into the heart of the defence to try and take out Skuhravý. In their previous outing, the 1-0 defeat in Portugal in November, Scheuer had started the game at left back and then moved into the centre, but he had now switched roles with hard man Bossi from kick-off, the latter now wide left in defence, tasked to look after Němeček. And Petry, who had played as right sided central defender in Portugal, was now playing central left, nearest to Bossi, as Skuhravý often prefered to attack the central left of the Luxembourg penalty area, thus leaving Scheuer central right. Only skipper Meunier at right back had the same role as he had had in Lisbon. And midfield saw another positional change, with Jeitz, centrally alongside Weis in Portugal, out wide here. Jeitz would let his shin pads go after 23 minutes, seeing the game through socks around ankles. Birsens had come into the central role next to Weis, but he made little difference to or from, as they were steamrollered for most of the half (and, indeed, the game). Weis, often trying to be a source of creativity, but with desperately little help from his midfield colleagues, saw yellow for a tackle on Bílek just to the right of his own penalty area. He protested, but it was all in vain as the non-fussy Northern Irish referee told him to shut it. And rightly so. Weis’ tackle on Bílek had warranted a caution. Like in their last qualifier, Girres was seen right wide in midfield, and again he hardly made an impression. Hellers, an omission last time around, often came deep to try and take part in any build-up play that the visitors might contribute with. But the Standard Liège player was not able to have a lot of influence on the match. Krings was mostly left isolated up front.
Mr Donnelly, the referee, gave Czechoslovakia an indirect free-kick just ten yards out from van Rijswijck’s goalline after the ‘keeper had been punished for using too many steps. So often a goalkeeper gets away with it without any retribution from the officials, so he will have been surprised to have been awarded a free-kick against. However, Kadlec could not take advantage, as his shot hit the wall. There’s a good few decent opportunities for the home team during the opening 45, whilst it will take more than 18 minutes from kick-off until Jan Stejskal gets to touch the ball for the first time. Petry is perhaps fortunate to escape a penalty when he appears to clip the heel of Bílek inside the area. Hellers is not so lucky when he ironically applauds the referee giving Hašek a free-kick after a challenge from Birsens out wide. Mr Donnelly calls him over and shows him the yellow card before the game can resume. However, what was more remarkable, was that the Luxembourg manager, Philipp, was sent to the stands for having vented his frustration at the linesman on the near side, when his physios were not allowed out onto the pitch to treat Krings, who had gone to the ground after an aerial challenge with Kadlec. This happened in the 28th minute, and Philipp went to have a seat in Luxembourg’s part of the press zone.
During the last seven minutes of the half, both Chovanec and Skuhravý strike well with their respective left boots, but on both occasions van Rijswijck is equal to the efforts. A more efficient side would have gone into the break more than just 1-0 up, but there would probably be more in store for the second half. Czechoslovakia had after all showed some promising stuff. Luxembourg’s only chance had come when Krings had a moment of clairvoyance and played in Hellers to have a run at goal on 37 minutes, only to be obstructed by Chovanec on the edge of the area. Hellers rolls the resulting indirect free-kick into the path of Weis, whose fiercly struck effort’s blocked down by culprit Chovanec. Three minutes from time Weis tries to play Krings through, only for the linesman to flag him offside. The Luxembourg forward doesn’t realize that the whistle’s gone, so he continues and fires home past Stejskal, but the home ‘keeper wasn’t bothered.
Second half:
The teams reappear with one change: Czechoslovakia have replaced Kadlec with Bielik, and it does actually appear to be a straight switch at first, though Bielik does not exactly hold back when given the opportunity to trot forward down the right hand touchline. And his first involvement almost yields a second home goal 18 seconds in, when Skuhravý heads his cross just over having got in behind Bossi who does seem to be slow in orientating himself at times. It was him who lost track of Hašek and Griga for the opening goal.
Straka looks to be the one sitting deep at the start of the second half, with Chovanec being free to take up a midfield role. With Hašek and now also Bielik occupying the attacking right flank, Němeček’s presence in this territory seems surplus to requirements, so he slots into a role just behind the two strikers. The home side does not intend to losen their grip on Luxembourg. Central defender Petry takes a big knock to the head from Griga, and looks shaky as he is aided off the pitch by the physio and his assistant. The referee had not deemed it necessary to halt play even if he had noticed the Luxembourg number 3 lying on the ground motionless. Petry is back in action again briefly after, and plays on like nothing happened. The Luxembourg defenders do like to give van Rijswijck an option for playing goal kicks short, but Czechoslovakia are aware that this is what the visitors want, so Němeček, Griga, Skuhravý and Moravčík more or less take turns in cutting off this possibility.
The visiting goalkeeper sees yellow ten minutes into the second half as the third visitor to do so. But what for? Difficult to say. The Czechoslovakian attacks are relentless; there’s no let-up for the overworked visiting defence. A second goal is just a matter of time away: Griga heads a Chovanec corner via the crossbar and over. Bílek hits a free-kick from 25 yards half a yard over van Rijswijck’s goal. Skuhravý heads a Griga cross…over. Then Griga fires straight at the Luxembourg ‘keeper from a few yards out. The Doctor decides to make a change. He needs his side to up their efficiency. Němeček takes a seat as Weiss comes on. No respite for the busy Bossi, the guests’ left back.
The Luxembourg goalkeeper’s done well, but he misjudges Bielik’s cross when Skuhravý can head home the hosts’ second. 15 minutes to go and Czechoslovakia start to smell blood. They will score two more within the next seven minutes, and there’s countless chances to add to the tally. Bílek’s header for 3-0 comes from all of 16 yards but is so powerful that a poorly positioned van Rijswijck’s merely a spectator. It is a hat-trick of headers as Skuhravý completes the rout six minutes from time, assisted by Moravčík’s left-footed cross. The winger can swing them in with both feet. The big number 10 is unstoppable from short range. And Hašek adds a fifth a couple of minutes later…almost. Skuhravý assists him with a ball into the area, and his low shot strikes the left hand post and runs back across the goalline before it is cleared. Czechoslovakia look like scoring every time they come forward. Luxembourg just want the game to end. However, as soon as the waves of attacks began, they subside. The home side are content with a few minutes left on the clock. The Swiss made a change with Aarau based Saibene replacing Jeitz on the left hand side of midfield, but there’s nothing he can do to prevent the Czechoslovakians from dominating completely. Malget gets a couple of minutes for Krings at the death. Thomas Oliver Donnelly will eventually signal for full time, and the travelling contingent can breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Conclusion:
There was a massive gulf in class, as expected. There were probably a few nerves in the home camp early on as they needed to get the defeat in Belgium out of their system, and Griga’s early goal will have been soothing. Although they pegged Luxembourg back for most of the half, they were unable to create big openings, apart from a couple of stinging left foot shots by Chovanec and Skuhravý. Second half they were far more agile and stretched the visiting defence time and again with intelligent running both across and into the box. Moving Chovanec into midfield seemed wise, as his clever mind predicted openings which no one had managed to see before the break, and when you have a player like Hašek in your team you will always cause trouble, simply because his energy levels are second to none: He’ll run any team into the ground. Add to that the aerial threat from Skuhravý and fine positioning by Griga, and one could see this 13-14 minutes spell of attacking play which just tore Luxembourg apart coming. The three goals came like a blitzkrieg. And suddenly it was over. Czechoslovakia are back in second position due to better goal difference than Portugal.
55′
28′
