Czechs beat Malta 1:0 in home friendly

The Czech national football team beat Malta 1:0 in a friendly game in Jablonec on Friday. It was the Czech squad’s first match under the new coach František Straka who was appointed last month. The new manager selected many newcomers into the team, including both goalkeepers. The Czechs were better throughout much of the game but the Maltese had several good opportunities as well. Tomáš Necid, of CSKA Moscow, scored the winning goal in the 79th minute. It’s not clear whether the new coach will be kept on for the remainder of the World Cup qualifier; the Czech Republic is currently ranking 4th with eight points in the 3rd qualification group.