Locking horns for the very first time in a senior men's international, Gibraltar and the Czech Republic will scrap it out in Tuesday's World Cup 2026 Qualifying Group L battle at the Estadio Algarve.
The 'hosts' - who have set up camp in Portugal while their regular stadium undergoes redevelopment - were slain 3-1 by Montenegro in their opening battle, while the Czechs survived a scare to conquer the Faroe Islands 2-1.
Match preview
© Imago
Atoning for a forgettable Euro 2024 campaign - in which they crashed out in the group stage with just one point to their name - the Czech Republic sealed promotion to the top tier of the Nations League before getting off to a winning start in World Cup Qualifying.
However, Ivan Hasek's side were not convincing against the 137th-ranked Faroe Islands by any stretch, as Patrik Schick's opening goal was cancelled out by Gunnar Vatnhamar seven minutes from time, only for the Bayer Leverkusen striker to immediately bite back.
Schick's second header of the afternoon saved the Czech Republic's bacon and allowed the world's 42nd-ranked nation to position themselves in second place in Group L, which would not suffice for direct qualification but would give them another shot at advancing via the playoffs.
Last making a World Cup Finals in 2006, another qualification is long overdue for the Euro 2004 semi-finalists, who may be the favourites for a first-placed finish in Group L now but will soon have to pit their wits against Croatia.
The 2018 World Cup runners-up will soon take the final place in this five-team group after losing to France in the Nations League quarter-finals, but Hasek's men can only focus on what is in their control against Gibraltar, as the 'visitors' endeavour to make it seven straight games without defeat in all tournaments.
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Upcoming hosts Gibraltar would not normally be associated with unbeaten runs of their own, but Los Llanis managed to avoid defeat in each of their last seven matches of 2024, playing out three draws and one win in their four Nations League matches.
However, barring a shock goalless draw with Wales in June, Gibraltar hardly faced high-calibre opponents - Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino and Moldova - and Scott Wiseman's men suffered a harsh reality check against Montenegro on Saturday.
A monumental shock was briefly on the cards when England-born Dan Bent drew first blood for Gibraltar, but evergreen striker Stevan Jovetic equalised before second-half strikes from Marko Tuci and Lazio's Adam Marusic completed the Montenegrin comeback.
Normal service has therefore resumed for Team 54, who have now taken part in 21 World Cup Qualifying matches in their history and have lost all 21 of them, so even one point - an unprecedented one point - should be celebrated by fans of the world's 196th-ranked team.
Once the 'hosts' have finished what is sure to be another doomed qualification cycle, they have much bigger fish to fry in the Nations League, as they will face Latvia in a double-header next March for the chance to win promotion to League C.
Team News
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The Czech Republic's laborious performance against the Faroe Islands can be partially attributed to an early injury to Tomas Holes, who had to be forced off after just 23 minutes due to a suspected hamstring problem.
Hasek will likely call on David Zima to fill the void in defence this week, but the Czechs are otherwise in good shape for Tuesday's showdown, where Schick will be chasing down a former Arsenal fan favourite.
The Bayer Leverkusen forward is now on 22 goals for his nation - the joint fifth-most in the history of the Czech men's team - and he will equal Tomas Rosicky's record of 23 with one strike in Portugal.
As for Gibraltar, goalscorer Bent was unable to complete the full 90 as the 29-year-old came off in the dying embers with an unspecified problem, although it is not clear how severe his issue is.
Either way, 20-year-old Nicholas Pozo should be primed and ready for a start in a deep-lying midfield role, and it would not be a total shock to see Wiseman switch to a five-at-the-back shape from the 4-1-4-1 system he used over the weekend.
Such an alteration could spell good news for embryonic Blyth Spartans defender Paddy McClafferty, who made his debut for Los Llanis off the bench in the loss to Montenegro, while Manchester United's James Scanlon should be in the first XI too.
Gibraltar possible starting lineup:
Banda; McClaffertey, Ronan, Lopes, Annesley, Britto; Scanlon, Bent, Pozo, Walker; De Barr
Czech Republic possible starting lineup:
Kovar; Coufal, Zima, Krejci, Zeleny; Cerny, Kral, Soucek, Provod; Schick, Chory
We say: Gibraltar 0-4 Czech Republic
The Czechs may have made harder work of the Faroe Islands than they should have done, but Hasek's men will surely not have to get out of third gear to stroll to victory on Tuesday.
Perennial whipping boys Gibraltar only know how to lose in World Cup Qualifying, and the midweek match should simply be a case of damage limitation from the first whistle for Wiseman's men.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
