Republic Czech out

Nemec's protests fall on deaf ears against Holland

Ten wins out of ten in qualifying counted for nothing for the Czech Republic when they arrived at Euro 2000.

Their only reward came from a 2-0 victory over Denmark by which time the return flight tickets had already been booked.

Fortune did not favour the Czech's though.

A highly controversial 89th minute penalty handed the Dutch an undeserved victory in their first match after both Jan Koller and Pavel Nedved had seen headers come back off the woodwork.

Koller: denied by the woodwork on more than one occasion

Then the giant Koller suffered more agony at the hands of the crossbar in the 2-1 defeat by France.

Suicidal defending in that game was to cost them dear but there were plenty of individuals in Chovanec's squad that emerged with credit.

Lazio's Pavel Nedved buoyed by his Serie A success transferred his club form on to the international stage while Karel Poborsky looked back to the player who had caught the eye at Euro 96.

And in Koller they had the perfect man to lead the forward line.

Had Patrik Berger been available for the first two games the outcome may have been different.

As it was the two goals against Denmark by his Liverpool colleague Vladimir Smicer were to offer scant consolation.