Jiracek fires Czechs into finals

CZECH REPUBLIC ensured their place in the Euro 2012 finals after a narrow win proved to be enough against Montenegro in the second leg of their qualifying play-off.

Petr Jiracek scored the only goal of the game in the 81st minute to give them a 3-0 win on aggregate.

The Czechs won the first leg 2-0 in Prague last Friday with goals from Vaclav Pilar and Tomas Sivok which meant last night’s slender win sealed their place at a fifth consecutive European finals.

Montenegro had the first real chance of the match when Mirko Vucinic was fouled by Roman Hubnik, allowing Nikola Drincic to step up for a free-kick.

Drincic fired in a cross but it was easily dealt with by Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Neither side was able to take a grip on the game and the next chance came just before half and hour when Montenegro’s Vladimir Bozovic saw his cross cleared by Tomas Sivok.

Montenegro striker Dejan Damjanovic almost found the opener in the 50th minute when his strike from the right of the area was tipped around the post by Chelsea keeper Cech.

Vucinic then went close at the other end four minutes later when his close-range header flew over the bar.

Montenegro continued to push forward in search of a goal, with Vucinic’s 71st-minute strike was parried by Cech before the keeper made another save when he tipped the follow-up shot round the post.

However, it was the Czech Republic who scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game when Zdenek Pospech swept a pass to Jiracek, who fired into the bottom-left corner of the goal from the right side of the area.

MONTENEGRO: M Bozovic, S Savic, S Pavicevic, E Zverotic, M Dzudovic, N Drincic, V Bozovic (R Djalovic 80), S Jovetic, M Vucinic, D Damjanovic (S Vukcevic 76), F Beqiraj (A Delibasic 58).

CZECH REPUBLIC: P Cech, T Sivok, T Gebreselassie, R Hubnik, M Kadlec, T Rosicky, J Plasil, V Pilar (D Kolar 69), P Jiracek, T Pekhart (M Baros 84), J Rezek (Z Pospech 60).

Ref: N Rizzoli (Italy)