More possession but still heavy defeat as Gibraltar concede six against Czech Republic

Scott Wiseman was to make changes from the side that finished with the narrowest of defeats against Montenegro.
Olivero, Del Rio and Bartolo were among the starting XI.

With Annesley suspended, Olivero was the obvious choice to come in. Experienced and with enough international minutes under his belt, he was no newcomer to the game.

It was a young team, and with players such as Mauro also within the back four, this was a look towards the future for Gibraltar—especially with their next match against Latvia in March for the Nations League playoff.

The Czech Republic was never going to be an easy game. Even if Gibraltar had wanted to play on the front foot, it was always going to be a match in which they would be pushed back.
However, Gibraltar showed early they were willing to attack.

After just two minutes, Gibraltar were already in an advanced position on the edge of the penalty area, Bartolo trying his luck as he surged at the defence moments later.

The Czechs showed they had the height to cause problems early on, with a fourth-minute header well parried by Hankins.

With just five minutes played, the Czechs found space behind the defence on Gibraltar’s left. Doudera squeezed the ball past an outstretched Hankins at the post.

Although this was the fifth anniversary of Gibraltar’s promotion to League C in the Nations League, with only ten minutes played there were few signs that Gibraltar would make more history by obtaining their first ever point in a European qualifier.

Gibraltar did not sit back merely to defend. Whenever the opportunity arose, they pushed forward.

Gibraltar felt the professional fouls that often go unpunished from early on. Jolley took a hand to the face, while Del Rio received a shove in the back that sent him sprawling off the pitch. The Czech side showed they were not merely turning up, even having already secured the runners-up spot.

In the 17th minute, Doudera delivered again—this time with a cross parallel to the backs of the defence for Čory to stretch and send the ball flying out of Hankins’ reach for the second.

Hankins was again called into action in the 21st minute, palming away a shot as Gibraltar were being penned back.

With players such as De Barr, Britto, Annesley and Bent missing from the starting eleven, it was a testing time for Gibraltar’s defence against a side that had put four past them in their last meeting at home.

Gibraltar enjoyed a good stretch of possession as they approached the half-hour mark. Confident play forced the Czech Republic into their own half for a few minutes—enough to provide a breather from defending and show they were not about to roll over.

In the 31st minute, a training-ground free-kick routine saw Coufal strike from outside the area after receiving the ball just in front of the near post, beating Hankins, who had been unsighted by Torrilla’s presence in front of him.

Gibraltar responded by pushing forward and winning a corner after a string of good possession play.
Mauro’s inswinger to the near post was well cleared. Gibraltar regained the ball and attacked again, Scanlon willing to take on defenders as Gibraltar pressed high in numbers.

A clinical finish from a wide cross—delivered first-time into the middle and cleverly left with a step-over—allowed Karabec to score. The Czech Republic were 4–0 in front after just 39 minutes.
The Gibraltar defence, chasing back, could do little against the cleverly-worked move which sliced them apart with quick, well-timed passing.

Rattled by the fourth, Gibraltar were pushed further back and had no immediate response.

Slow to close down, Gibraltar allowed the Czech Republic to work their way into the area. Unmarked near the penalty spot, Souček had a free diving header to make it 5–0 as the half approached its final minute.

There was little running from Gibraltar as Hankins gathered the ball from the next Czech attack. Looking somewhat dispirited, Gibraltar needed to rally and try to make an impact in the second half if they were to keep the score down.

The second half started with McCafferty coming on for Olivero—defender for defender.
Moments later, McCafferty was beaten to the ball by Schick but did just enough to force him to miss from within the six-yard box.

A free-kick conceded by Ronan in the 49th minute saw Coufal smash a shot toward goal, Hankins tipping it over for a corner.

Karabec delivered a tight corner to the near post, where Zelený flicked it on for Hranáč to bundle the ball in on the line, hustling past both Pozo and Scanlon at the far post.

There was little Gibraltar could do to stop a Czech side intent on beating their own record for their highest win.

Trying to advance, Gibraltar were caught on the break in the 55th minute, the resulting shot grazing past the post.

Moments later, Mauro hesitated when he had a chance to try his luck from distance, allowing the Czechs to press forward again and maintain the pressure.

Gibraltar dropped deep as Czech Republic piled on the attacks.
Bartolo did well on the hour mark to win a free-kick out of nothing, giving Gibraltar some breathing space.

The pace slowed, though Gibraltar were still pushed into their own half.

Pozo was replaced by Bent as Wiseman tried to inject fresh legs.

With seventy minutes played, Gibraltar had still not had a shot on target, while the Czech Republic had already struck at goal twenty times and scored six.

Their 21st attempt, on 72 minutes, struck the post.

With the score comfortably in their favour, frustration grew among Gibraltar’s players. Torrilla’s reaction to the referee—after allowing a Czech throw-in to be retaken despite ruling the first attempt a foul throw—made that clear, the midfielder shrugging and gesturing in disbelief.

Wiseman replaced Del Rio with Vinet for the final fourteen minutes, hoping to add some energy and give the youngster more international minutes—the last time he featured being against New Caledonia in a difficult night for Gibraltar.

Torrilla and Bartolo were then withdrawn for Perera and Morgan.
Morgan was involved immediately, winning the ball with his physicality before being bundled over.

Entering the final five minutes, and having conceded only one goal in the second half, the Czech Republic increased their urgency in search of a seventh.

Gibraltar absorbed the pressure, trying to press high and keep their opponents as far upfield as possible.

In the 92nd minute, Hankins gathered the ball from a final Czech attempt, giving Gibraltar one last moment to push forward.

Having held firm in the second half and conceded only once, it was a bittersweet period of play for Gibraltar. Even though the overall scoreline was heavy—and unwanted at a time when Gibraltar had shown positive signs of more offensive play—the second half ensured they did not join the likes of San Marino, Kuwait and Andorra, who had all been beaten 7–0 by the Czech Republic. A six-goal defeat was still a hard pill to swallow.

Gibraltar now prepares for their next major test—a two-leg encounter with Latvia for possible promotion to League C in the Nations League. Previous heavy defeats had seen Gibraltar with possession rates as low as 13–25%, yet this match saw them reach 40% possession by half-time, dropping only to 38% overall. A significant improvement compared with the previous decade against top-ranked European sides.