Czech Republic vs Faroe Islands

Andrův stadion in Olomouc forms the backdrop for a low-profile international friendly between the Czech Republic and the Faroe Islands.

It seems like a World Cup play-off heartbreak at the hands of Sweden in March crushed the Czech Republic’s spirits, leaving the team that reached last year’s Euro 2020 quarter-finals in complete disarray. Left to pick up the slack in the wake of a woeful 2022/23 UEFA Nations League season, resulting in relegation to League B, manager Jaroslav Silhavy can ill-afford another slip-up. The Czechs have lost their last four international fixtures by an aggregate score of 10-1, three of which via multi-goal margins, emphasising the size of the task at hand. However, a 100% H2H win ratio across the four previous meetings with the Faroe Islands, accompanied by as many shutouts, could give the hosts an opportunity for a clean slate.

Meanwhile, the Faroe Islands’ ill-fated World Cup qualifying campaign caught no one by surprise, but clinging on to their League C status next to Turkey, Lithuania & Luxembourg in the aftermath was somewhat of a standout achievement. Since losing 1-0 at home to Luxembourg in early June, the Faroes have gone into overdrive, clocking up a morale-boosting four-match unbeaten run (W2, D2), bookended by an eye-catching 2-1 home triumph over non-other than Group C1 winners Turkey. But the visitors have been nothing if not whipping boys on their international travels, as you’d have to go back to September 2020 for their last win on foreign soil. A narrow 1-0 win over Iberian minnows Andorra looks like a distant memory, with Hakan Ericson’s side going winless in their subsequent 13 away games (D6, L7).