England vs Czechia Preview

Eleven goals in three Nations League games sum up England’s group campaign so far, and the Three Lions take that scoring form back to Wembley Stadium on Tuesday for the return meeting with a Czechia side still waiting on their first point in Group C. The reverse fixture ended 2-0 to England only a week ago, and with Spain three points clear at the top on nine, anything short of a home win would leave the hosts with ground to make up in the race for first place with two group games left after this one. Czechia arrive at the other end of the table entirely, with three defeats from three and just two goals scored in the group so far. England, by contrast, have scored at least twice in every group game and kept clean sheets in the last two. Six points and 13 goals of goal difference separate the sides in Group C, and the visitors have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions.

England have won three of their last five, and the most recent was as emphatic as it gets: a 7-0 win away at Croatia on Saturday, the widest margin in either side’s run. Four days earlier they won 2-0 away in Czech Republic, their first Nations League points after an opening-night setback. That setback was a 3-2 home defeat to Spain at Wembley Stadium on 26 September, still the only loss of their group campaign and the reason they trail the leaders. Going back to the World Cup in July, England won 6-4 against France as the listed away side, the highest-scoring game in the sample, while their other defeat came three days before that, a 2-1 home loss to Argentina. Across the five games it’s three wins and two losses, with 18 goals scored and nine conceded.

Czechia arrive in a far worse place, without a win in five and beaten in each of the last four. Saturday brought a 3-1 defeat away to Spain, and the 2-0 home loss to England on matchday two came just four days before it. Their Nations League campaign opened with a 2-1 home defeat to Croatia, so all three group games have ended in defeat, each by one or two goals. At the World Cup in June, Czechia lost 3-0 at home to Mexico, and the only point in this sample came a week earlier still, a 1-1 home draw with South Africa. That makes one draw and four losses from five, with three goals scored and 11 conceded — they haven’t managed more than one goal in any of the five, and were held scoreless in two.

England hold the upper hand in this fixture, winning three of the last five meetings to Czechia’s one, with a single draw completing the set. The reverse fixture last week ended 2-0 to England away in Czech Republic, and the meeting before that was a 1-0 England win away at the Euros in June 2021, so Czechia have failed to score in either of the last two. Their only win in the sample was 2-1 at home in October 2019, seven months after England had beaten them 5-0 at home — the widest margin in this run. With the 2-2 home friendly in August 2008 also on the ledger, England are unbeaten in both home meetings in the sample.

England sit second in Group C on six points, three behind leaders Spain and three clear of Croatia, with the best goal difference in the group at +8. Czechia prop up the table on zero points after three defeats, and a win at Wembley Stadium would lift them level with Croatia on three.

England’s home meeting with Czechia will be shown on ITV 1 UK and ITVX, with STV Scotland and STV Player covering viewers in Scotland, while Czech coverage runs on ČT Sport and OnePlay. Viewers in Ireland can watch on ITV 1 UK, ITVX and STV Scotland, and elsewhere in Europe it’s on SKY Go Italia, Sky Sport Arena and NOW TV in Italy, L’Équipe Live Foot in France, and DAZN in Germany and Belgium. Further afield, Australian viewers can tune in on beIN SPORTS 3 and beIN Sports Connect, Canadians via DAZN Canada and fuboTV Canada, and Brazil on SporTV.

Possible Lineups

England — Form

Czech Republic — Form

Head-to-Head

Where to Watch

Table

Group C Standings