Thomas Tuchel made several changes from the Spain match and included Trent Alexander-Arnold for his first start for two years. The early play was the predictable side to side, back to the goalkeeper pattern we see so often now, but after four minutes the first decent pass forward found Saka who curled in a dangerous cross, but no England player on the end of it. Almost immediately the Czechs broke away and after a mistake by Elliot Anderson gave Pavel Sulc the chance of a clear run at goal, but James Trafford was out quickly to smother the shot.

In the first ten minutes England's control was poor with several mis-controls occurring, and most of the play was confined to the midfield. Lukas Cerv then shot hard and wide after a Czech corner was headed out by Trevoh Chalobah. Then on 16 minutes activity at the other end almost brought the opening goal for England. Three times England shot at goal, first when Morgan Rogers hit a shot that struck the post, but after Harry Kane just failed to reach the rebound Anderson's follow-up shot was blocked, and then Bukayo Saka was also denied a by a defender's block. That all happened in a blink of the eye, but England should have been one up.

Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall, former teammates at Newcastle, were combining well down the left with Gordon again looking the main threat. One of his good runs ended when Stepan Chaloupek cut out his cross. England's build-up was slow and laborious and a little bit predictable and the Czechs were coping comfortably at the back. One promising attack suddenly ended when the ball was shunted back to Trafford for some unknown reason. With 22 minutes gone Gordon was again prominent as he cut in before hitting a good shot just wide of the far post. Two minutes later Sulc brought down Anderson with a very crude challenge and was rightly booked. VAR then stepped in and suggested the referee should look at the tackle again, and he decided that the yellow card should be changed to red! So, with over 65 minutes still to play, the Czech team were down to ten men.

There followed long periods of possession from England but with no real end product although a one-touch move nearly worked until an offside flag intervened. Alexander-Arnold was growing into the game and he hit several of his trademark crosses into the middle without success. However, one cheeky pass set up Rogers for a shot which goalkeeper Matej Kovar saved and then almost immediately Kovar saved again, this time from Gordon, although the ball almost squirmed through.

By the 35th minute the Czechs were defending resolutely and well, and although England had control of the game at this point, they needed a goal. One dangerous cross was cleared by Adam Karabec, but only after his attempted clearance went straight into the arms of his goalkeeper. Gordon then won a free-kick and Alexander-Arnold's flighted kick was headed just wide by the leaping Rogers. As we approached the break Gordon again went close and then Kane finally had a shot at goal which brought a good save by Kovar, tipping the ball around a post. Some of the Czech challenges, especially by Ladislav Krejci, when he purposely barged Saka over as the winger chased a through ball, that could have been a second red card on another day.

So, a scrappy but pedestrian half ended all square. Eberechi Eze came on for Myles Lewis-Skelly, who had been booked in the first-half, and England had the perfect start to the second-half. The ball was moved down the right with possession being picked up by Alexander-Arnold. He showed his class with a sublime cross to Gordon on the far side of the box and the winger stooped down to head a great header into the far corner. That was a delightful goal and set England up for the half.

To be fair to the home side their energy levels were good and sometimes it was difficult to realise that they were a man short. They still pushed forward at every opportunity and England had to stay tight at the back. Trafford was hardly troubled but the game was not over. A quick England break down the left saw Gordon and Hall combine well again and Hall came so close to scoring for England, but his shot went just wide of the far post. England won several corners and from one Hall shot high over the bar and on another Krejci blatantly manhandled Kane to the ground as the cross came over. No foul! What happened to the new rule at corners?

On 61 minutes England struck the post again, although this time Hall's cross was put against the post by Krejci in his attempt to clear. If that had been an own goal it would have been divine punishment for his constant fouling. For the next few minutes it was slightly worrying how the Czechs were stretching England with ten men, and there were still moments of loose play by England.

When another decent cross came in from the right in the 68th minute Rogers is bundled over in the box by Krejci again, but the ball ran loose and there was 'Johnnie-on-the-spot' Kane, to fire home the decisive second goal.

Several England subs came on after the goal and the next noticeable incident saw Trafford have to make his one real save of the night to deny the home side a goal. At the other end Rogers headed another good Gordon cross just wide and then on 82 minutes Kovar made a fine save from Eze's shot. England's defence were looking a little disjointed at this stage and the Czechs never gave up trying to score. But new cap Alex Scott and Liverpool's youngster Rio Ngumoha did some good running in the last minutes, although Eze's late shot tested the goalkeeping skills of someone in the top tier of the crowd! Right at the end Jude Bellingham fired in a good shot only to see it tipped round the post by Kovar.

And that was it, still misfiring occasionally, but you can't argue with a clean sheet and a 2-0 away win, and also a magnificent 87th goal of our captain's England career. I do hope he makes it to a century, preferably in his next innings. Oh, sorry cricket has finished hasn't it.
  

Source Notes