Belarus edge out holders
Friday, September 5, 2003
Article summary
Belarus 1-0 Czech Republic
Tsimafei Kalachov's late winner ended the Czech Republic's perfect record in Group 3.
Article body
Perfect record
The Czechs had won all five of their previous qualifiers, including a 3-0 home victory against Belarus, and went close on eight minutes through Václav Sverkos. However, Belarus gradually took control, Pavel Biahanski having a good chance and Czech defender Jakub Bures hitting his own bar just before half-time.
Kalachov winner
Although the visitors continued to hold out, their resistance was broken 12 minutes from the end when Tsimafei Kalachov scored with an opportunist angled drive.
Top-two place clinched
When news came through that Austria had been held by the Netherlands, both teams knew they had clinched a top-two spot, although only six of the ten group runners-up will join the winners in the play-offs. To have any chance of topping the group, Belarus must now win in Moldova in their final qualifier on Tuesday.
Czech chance
The Czech Republic themselves have a game in hand, though, and victory in either of their final two games against the Netherlands on Tuesday or in Austria on 10 October will see them win the group and guarantee a play-off berth.
