| Goals | Goals |
|---|---|
| 19. Petr Jiracek (72’) |
Cech delighted with Czech progression
Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech
The Czechs started the day looking like they would need just a point to reach the last eight, but as Greece took the lead against Russia on the stroke of half-time it meant that victory over Poland became imperative.
Petr Jiracek scored the all-important goal on 72 minutes, and Cech, who had made an uncharacteristic blunder in the previous match against the Greeks, was pleased it meant they no longer had to rely on results elsewhere.
"We started badly and let the occasion get to us a little bit," the Chelsea shot-stopper told reporters after the game. "The home side capitalised on our mistakes.
"But with time we got better. We created chances and then scored a deserved goal.
"We knew the result [of Greece v Russia]. They told us and we could see it on a screen, but we focused on ourselves, decided not to wait for miracles and to score ourselves instead."
The Czechs ultimately ended up topping Group A, meaning they progressed to the next round alongside second-placed Greece.
They will meet the runners-up from Group B - which is still undecided ahead of the final match day - in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Poland coach Franciszek Smuda has confirmed that he will leave his post after failing to guide the host nation beyond the group stage of Euro 2012.
Looking back on his time in the job, Smuda stated that his team had made progress during his three years at the helm, despite their underwhelming European Championship campaign.
"I think that this team has made huge progress, and I think that this can go on when the qualifiers start again. I think that these guys are well-prepared," he told reporters after the match.
"I don't have to resign, my contract runs up now, so I don't see any need to hand in a token resignation."
Reflecting on the Czech clash, Smuda stated that his side approached the fixture with a lackadaisical attitude, and were punished by their impressive opponents.
"We had to eat a huge slice of humble pie," he told reporters after the match. "We looked too confident of winning here, perhaps. The Czechs were great, and played a better game.
"We had several chances before half-time, but then we lost. We can compare this to the Greece game.
"We started the second half with huge belief, but things that were said in the dressing room were different to what they actually did."
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