Soccer Football - Nations League - League B - Group 1 - Czech Republic v Ukraine - Eden Arena, Prague, Czech Republic - September 10, 2024 Czech Republic's Pavel Sulc celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/David W Cerny
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Two first-half Pavel Sulc goals guided the Czech Republic to a 3-2 win over Ukraine on Tuesday in the Nations League, with a late penalty ensuring the win for the hosts in a match in which both sides created a number of chances.
The Czechs, with a revamped lineup following a 4-1 thrashing by Georgia, struck first when Sulc re-directed a Vaclav Cerny shot past Ukraine goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Ukraine kept pushing forward and equalised in the 37th minute when Vladyslav Vanat headed home after Mykola Shaparenko whipped in a cross from the left flank.
Sulc netted his second for the Czechs just before the break when he brought the ball down with his chest and hammered a volley into the net. Captain Tomas Soucek extended their lead with an 80th-minute penalty before Georgiy Sudakov pulled a goal back for Ukraine.
Ukraine remain winless in Group B1 while the Czechs notched their first victory. The Czechs next host Albania while Ukraine face Georgia in October.
(Reporting by Michael Kahn, Editing by Toby Davis)
