The Republic of Ireland lost to the Czech Republic in a World Cup playoff semi-final in Prague. The match between the Republic of Ireland and the Czech Republic ended 2-2 after regular and extra time, with the Czech Republic winning the penalty shootout against the Republic of Ireland. Jan Kliment converted the final penalty to send the Czech Republic into a home final against Denmark. Ireland lost the penalty shootout 3-2 after Caoimhín Kelleher saved from Mojmir Chytil, but Finn Azaz and Alan Browne missed their penalties, according to multiple reports.
Ireland had made a strong start, leading 2-0 after 23 minutes with a Troy Parrott penalty and an own goal by Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar. However, Ryan Manning conceded a penalty for Ireland, giving the Czech Republic a route back into the match. Ladislav Krejci scored an 86th-minute equalizer for the Czech Republic, forcing extra time and setting the stage for the eventual shootout.
This was Ireland's fifth defeat in six World Cup playoffs, highlighting a persistent challenge in crucial qualification matches. Ireland's last shootout defeat was against Slovakia in the Euro 2020 play-off semi-final, according to research. Heimir Hallgrimsson is the manager of the Republic of Ireland, research indicates, overseeing a team that has shown promise but continues to falter at critical moments.
The Czech Republic entered the match amid significant turmoil, with Ivan Hasek sacked as Czech manager in October after a defeat by the Faroe Islands, according to multiple reports. Miroslav Koubek, 74, took charge of the Czech national team for the first time, multiple reports state, while Tomas Soucek was stripped of the Czech captaincy and lost his starting place, with Ladislav Krejci taking the armband, according to multiple reports. These changes came against a backdrop of off-field issues, including a match-fixing investigation that saw 47 people charged by the Czech FA, as reported by multiple sources.
Despite the upheaval, the Czech Republic held a competitive edge, with the team ranked 43rd in the world compared to Ireland's 59th, according to multiple reports. The Czech Republic had not lost a World Cup or European Championship qualifier at home in over nine years, multiple reports indicate, a record that provided a psychological advantage in the high-stakes encounter.
In the subsequent playoff final, Czech Republic and Denmark played a match in Prague that went to extra time after 1-1 at 90 minutes. The playoff final between the Czech Republic and Denmark ended 2-2 after 120 minutes, with Czech Republic scoring to make it 2-1, according to official sources, and Denmark's Kasper Hogh forcing a penalty shootout with a late 2-2 goal, official sources confirm. Denmark equalized to 1-1 in the 72nd minute and to 2-2 in the 111th minute, multiple reports state. Denmark lost the penalty shootout after missing three out of four penalties, with only Christian Eriksen scoring his penalty for Denmark, according to official sources. Rasmus Højlund, Anders Dreyer, and Mathias Jensen missed penalties for Denmark in the shootout, multiple reports indicate, while the Czech Republic scored three penalties to win the shootout and qualify for the World Cup, according to multiple reports.
In another shocking playoff result, Italy lost a penalty shootout to Bosnia and Herzegovina, missing their third consecutive World Cup. Italy has four men's World Cup golds (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006), according to official sources, but their recent struggles continued as they led 1-0 through Moise Kean in the first half, only for Alessandro Bastoni to receive a red card, multiple reports state. Haris Tabakovic equalized for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 79th minute, according to multiple reports, and Bosnia and Herzegovina won the penalty shootout 4-1, with Benjamin Tahirovic scoring one of the penalties, multiple reports indicate.
Other playoff outcomes saw Sweden and Norway will represent the Nordic region in the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, according to multiple reports. In the fourth playoff final, Turkey knocked out Kosovo, official sources confirm, though the exact timeline and outcome of these matches remain unclear.
An injury concern emerged for Ireland, with Sammie Szmodics knocked unconscious in an aerial collision during extra time and later conscious in hospital, according to Hallgrimsson. His current status and expected recovery time are not confirmed, adding to Ireland's post-match worries.
The match-fixing investigation context in the Czech Republic involves 47 people charged by the Czech FA, as reported by multiple sources, but specific details of the charges and proceedings have not been disclosed.
Irish supporters are calling for an official inquiry after their team's playoff elimination in Prague, according to multiple reports. The specific reasons cited for this call, such as potential refereeing decisions or team performance issues, have not been detailed publicly.
Unknowns persist regarding Szmodics' injury status and the reasons behind the Irish inquiry call. Further unknowns include the details of the Czech match-fixing investigation and the exact timeline of the Turkey-Kosovo playoff. Reactions from Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina players and officials to their victories have also not been widely reported, leaving a gap in the post-match narrative.