The Czech Republic are through to the finals of Euro 2012, though not without some good fortune. Due to the 2-0 lead they picked up at home, they were expected to progress rather easily into the finals. They defeated Montenegro 1-0 away from home to advance 3-0 on aggregate, but the score is flattering to the Czechs. They struggled in defense throughout the second leg, giving up a number of chances. Montenegro could have scored five or six times over, but their finishing was absolutely woeful.
Mirko Vucinic and Stefan Jovetic were in the thick of most of the chances as would be expected, but they just couldn't hit the target. Vucinic had two very clear headers in the second half on which he should have scored, hitting the crossbar in the 48th minute and missing an absolute sitter in the 55th minute. Not long after the first miss, Michael Kadlec went studs up into Vucinic's Achilles on a tackle, a clear red card offense. The referee, inexplicably, didn't see a foul.
Montenegro continued to create chances throughout the second half until they were eventually made to pay for their misses and they men they committed forward. Petr Jiracek scored the dagger for the Czechs in the 82nd minute, finishing from 12 yards off of a low cross by Zdenek Pospech. The Czech Republic are deservedly through to the finals, but they will likely be serious underdogs in their group.
We'll have live coverage of this and every Euro 2012 qualifying match in our Euro 2012 Qualifying Playoffs, Second Legs StoryStream. For more on the entire world of football, visit SB Nation Soccer.
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