Germany celebrate half-century

Germany took their goal tally to 50 as they defeated the Czech Republic 5-0 in Pribram to complete their UEFA European Women's Championship qualifying campaign with a perfect record.

Garefrekes opener
Despite establishing early control, Germany had to wait 33 minutes for Kerstin Garefrekes to give them the lead, by which time Iva Mocova had been sent off for two bookable offences. Birgit Prinz, Shelley Thompson, Britta Carlson and an own goal from Petra Bertholdova then sealed an eighth successive victory for Tina Theune-Meyer's side in Group 4.

Wasted chances
Prinz, normally so prolific, missed three excellent opportunities in the opening half-hour, while Conny Pohlers was also guilty of profligacy. Any hopes the Czechs had of keeping the reigning European champions at bay, however, diminished with Mocova's dismissal and Garefrekes's opener soon after.

Play-off hopes
After Prinz had doubled Germany's lead, Thompson, the leading scorer at the 2003 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship, struck her first senior goal, a feat repeated by Carlson eleven minutes from the end. Czech heads had dropped by the time Bertholdova put through her own net, although they still have a chance of joining Germany in next year's finals through the play-offs after pipping Scotland by one point to second place.