Tomáš Souček captained Czechia, leading his country alongside West Ham United teammate Vladímir Coufal as they made a perfect start to their World Cup qualification campaign. A 2-1 win at home to the Faroe Islands on Saturday was followed by a convincing 4-0 victory over Gibraltar in the Algarve on Tuesday evening.
Rangers loanee Václav Černý opened the scoring in the 21st minute before second-half goals from Patrik Schick, Pavel Šulc and Jan Kliment ensured Czechia took maximum points from their opening two fixtures. With six points from six, they sit level at the top of Group L with Montenegro, who they will face next in June.
Captain Souček provided the assist for Viktoria Plzeň midfielder Šulc to score Czechia's third goal at the Estádio Do Algarve in southern Portugal.
Also in World Cup qualifying action, Nayef Aguerd - currently on loan at Spanish La Liga side Real Sociedad - and his Morocco side extended their winning streak to ten matches with a 2-0 victory over Tanzania in CAF qualifying Group E.
Despite a 92-place gap in the FIFA rankings, Tanzania frustrated the hosts for over 50 minutes before Aguerd broke the deadlock. Reacting quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area following a Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannous corner, the centre-back swept home to put the Atlas Lions ahead. Seven minutes later, Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz converted from the penalty spot to seal the win.
In Stockholm, Callum Marshall featured in Northern Ireland’s 5-1 defeat to Sweden, playing the final 25 minutes. The 20-year-old - currently on loan at Huddersfield Town - replaced George Saville after Alexander Isak had made it 4-0. Initially leading the line alone, Marshall was later partnered up front with ADO Den Haag's Lee Bonis and came close to scoring his first international goal, making a sharp run to meet Paul Smyth’s cross, only to be denied by substitute goalkeeper Gustaf Lagerbielke.
Michael O’Neill’s youthful side, averaging just 22 years of age, managed a late consolation when West Bromwich Albion’s Isaac Price saw his strike deflected into the net.
Away from international football, Mason Terry kept his eleventh league clean sheet of the season as AFC Hornchurch secured a 1-0 win over National League South leaders Worthing. Angelo Balanta’s fifth goal of the season, just before half-time, proved decisive as the Urchins climbed to 12th in the 24-team division.
