Czech Republic will be looking to end a run of four straight defeats when they take on Faroe Islands in an international friendly on Wednesday evening.
The home side have not qualified for the finals of the World Cup, with their next competitive football set to take place next March, as they begin their qualification campaign for Euro 2024.
Match preview
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Czech Republic's record in the European Championship is impressive, taking part in each of the last seven finals, finishing second in 1996, in addition to reaching the semi-finals in 2004, and quarter-finals in 2012 and 2020.
However, the national side have not been present at a World Cup since 2006, which saw them eliminated in the group stage; indeed, they have failed to qualify for the last four tournaments and finished third in Group E behind Belgium and Wales during qualification for the 2022 competition.
Czech Republic were only one point behind second-place Wales, picking up 14 points from their eight matches, but they will not be present at the competition in Qatar, with the team instead preparing for two friendlies against Faroe Islands and Turkey.
Jaroslav Silhavy's side will not be in competitive action again until next March, as they prepare to open their Euro 2024 qualification campaign at home to Poland.
Czech Republic, who have lost their last four matches in the UEFA Nations League, will also face Albania, Faroe Islands and Moldova in Group E, and it would certainly be a surprise if they were not present at the finals of the competition in two years.
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Faroe Islands, meanwhile, can certainly take encouragement from their performance in the UEFA Nations League, picking up eight points from six matches to claim third in League C Group 1.
Hakan Ericson's side are actually unbeaten in their last four matches, beating Lithuania and Turkey in the process, in addition to drawing away to Luxembourg and Lithuania.
The National Team have also failed to qualify for the World Cup, so their next competitive action will also not be until next March, when they begin their Euro 2024 qualification campaign against Moldova.
As mentioned, Faroe Islands are also in the Czech Republic's qualification section for the European Championship, but they will once again be huge underdogs, having never qualified for the finals of a major tournament.
Team News
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Czech Republic have a strong squad available for this match, with plenty of familiar names set to feature for the home side on Wednesday night.
West Ham United duo Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek are both expected to be in the first XI, while Patrik Schick, who has 18 international goals to his name, is set to feature in the final third of the field.
Schick could be joined by Adam Hlozek as part of a front two, with Antonin Barak and Vaclav Cerny also likely to be in the starting side in this friendly game.
As for Faroe Islands, Klaemint Olsen is the leading goalscorer in the squad with 10 goals, and he is set to feature in the final third of the field once again.
Joan Simun Edmundsson has eight goals for the national side, meanwhile, and the 31-year-old is also set to feature in the starting XI on Wednesday night.
Gunnar Nielsen will be bidding to win his 72nd cap between the sticks, while Sonni Nattestad could feature in a defensive area in this contest.
Czech Republic possible starting lineup:
Pavlenka; Coufal, Brabec, Mateju, Zima; Barak, Zmrhal, Soucek, Cerny; Schick, Hlozek
Faroe Islands possible starting lineup:
Nielsen; Davidsen, Nattestad, Johansen, Askham; Hansen, Vatnhamar, Joensen, Andreasen; Edmundsson, Olsen
We say: Czech Republic 2-0 Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands deserve a lot of respect for their recent form, and they will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 victory over Turkey at the end of September. Czech Republic have a strong squad available for this game, though, and we are expecting the home side to emerge victorious on Wednesday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
