With Thomas Tuchel at the helm, England are keen to rebound from their recent loss to Spain, which concluded with a scoreline of 2-3 at Wembley. In the forthcoming second round of the Nations League, the Three Lions will make their way to Prague, visiting Fortuna Arena. Both teams come into this encounter without any points: the Czech Republic fell 1-2 to Croatia in their debut outing on home turf.
The match is set to kick off on Tuesday, 29 September, at 19:45 British time (21:45 Moscow time). Fans in the UK can catch the live broadcast on ITV 1 from 19:00, with audio coverage provided by BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT.
Czech Republic's injury woes: A coaching debut amidst a player crisis
The Czech national team is undergoing a significant transition following the recent World Cup campaign, with several pivotal players announcing their retirement from international football. Key figures including Patrik Schick, Vladimir Darida, Tomas Golesh, Jaroslav Zelensky, and Vaclav Cerny have stepped back.
On the coaching front, the Spaniard Santi Denia has taken over from Miroslav Koubek, marking his debut at the helm of the national side. However, Denia's preparations have been severely hampered by a spate of injuries, with several players including David Jurashek, David Zima, Denis Visinsky, Lukas Provod, Matej Ryneš, Tomas Vlcek, and forward Tomas Horý ruled out for the match.
West Ham's Tomas Soucek remains on the road to recovery from an ankle ligament injury sustained during the World Cup against Mexico. The participation of central defender Ladislav Krejci, who missed his game for Wolves and the encounter against Croatia due to a calf injury, remains in doubt, alongside Ondrej Lingr—both players will undergo pre-match assessments. The only goal scorer against Croatia, winger Adam Karabec, also picked up an injury late in the match and is likely to miss out. Expect Newcastle's Lukas Gornicek to guard the goal, with veteran Vladimir Coufal filling in on the right flank.
England news: Tuchel's rotation and Alexander-Arnold's return
Like their opponents, England have also faced significant injuries prior to their Nations League campaign. Key players Tino Livramento, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, and Cole Palmer are unavailable.
Tuchel has confirmed that James Trafford will retain his spot in goal for the second game running, while experienced Jordan Pickford will return for the subsequent two fixtures. On the left side of defence, Lewis Hall is expected to start after recovering from a minor setback, with competing player Nico O'Reilly still undergoing individual training.
Defender Ezri Konsa also missed team training; should he be absent, Trevoh Chalobah or Jarrad Branthwaite could partner Marc Guehi in central defence. Trent Alexander-Arnold is predicted to play on the right, likely replacing Jarell Quansah as he makes his first start since October 2024. Expect a midfield partnership of Elliot Anderson and Myles Lewis-Skelly, while the attacking line will include Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and captain Harry Kane.
Betting odds, statistics, and predictions
Historically, the Three Lions hold a strong record against the Czech Republic, with England losing just one of their last nine encounters (six wins and two draws). However, that sole defeat occurred in Prague back in October 2019, where an early penalty from Kane was overshadowed by goals from Brabec and Ondrasek (1-2).
Concerns are growing about the current form of the Czech side, as they have failed to secure a win in regular time over their last six official fixtures. Meanwhile, England, having finished third in the World Cup, have been formidable on the road, winning all four of their away matches in the qualifying campaign with a staggering 13-0 goal difference.
One of the main challenges for Tuchel's side has been defensive lapses, with both teams scoring in each of their last six matches.
- Match winning odds: England win at 7/19 (1.37), Czech Republic win at 17/2 (9.50), and a draw at 17/4 (5.25).
- Group 3 of Nations League A odds: Spain – 7/19, England – 3/1, Croatia – 8/1, Czech Republic – 150/1.
- Overall tournament win: Spain – 14/5, France – 10/3, England – 6/1.
- Recommended bet: England to win with both teams scoring at 11/5 (3.20). A precise score of 3-1 in favour of England is available at 11/1 (12.00).
Individual bets are also drawing attention to Barcelona's Anthony Gordon, who has two goals and three assists in his last five appearances for the national team—odds for him to make an impact against veteran Coufal are at 11/10 (2.10). Additionally, a goal from Harry Kane at any time is priced at 1/1 (2.00), while the chances of the forward opening the scoring stand at 13/5 (3.60).
