Pecka up for Czech chance

Luboš Pecka has been rewarded for his prolific form for FK Mladá Boleslav by being called into the Czech Republic squad for the first time at the age of 29.

Prolific season
The striker has struck a Czech league-leading 16 goals this season and is the only newcomer in the squad for the UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying Group D trip to Wales on 2 June. He may get the chance to emulate David Lafata, who scored both goals in the 2-1 home win against Wales in the opening qualifier but lost his squad place after joining FK Austria Wien in January. AFC Ajax right-back Zdeněk Grygera also misses out following knee surgery, but Tomáš Zápotočný and Tomáš Sivok are back having not been capped since last November and September 2005 respectively. The Czech Republic are one of three teams in Group D on 13 points, with a game in hand on the Republic of Ireland but having played one match more than Germany.

Czech Republic squad
Goalkeepers: Petr Čech (Chelsea FC), Jaromír Blažek (AC Sparta Praha).

Defenders: Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), Radoslav Kováč (FC Spartak Moskva), Martin Jiránek (FC Spartak Moskva), David Rozehnal (Paris Saint-Germain FC), Tomáš Ujfaluši (ACF Fiorentina), Tomáš Zápotočný (Udinese Calcio).

Midfielders: Tomáš Galásek (1. FC Nürnberg), David Jarolím (Hamburger SV), Jaroslav Plašil (AS Monaco FC), Jan Polák (1. FC Nürnberg), Tomáš Rosický (Arsenal FC), Marek Matějovský (FK Mladá Boleslav), Tomáš Sivok (Udinese Calcio).

Forwards: Jan Koller (AS Monaco FC). Milan Baroš (Olympique Lyonnais), Marek Kulič (AC Sparta Praha), Luboš Pecka (FK Mladá Boleslav).