Prague, June 1: Sparta Prague midfielder Hugo Sochurek was included in the Czech Republic squad for the World Cup after he became the youngest player for the national team in a warmup game against Kosovo.
The Czechs won 2-1 and 17-year-old Sochurek came on as a substitute on Sunday. Immediately after the game, coach Miroslav Koubek cut his initial selection of 29 to the final 26.
FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha, Mlada Boleslav forward Christophe Kabongo and Viktoria Plzen midfielder Tomas Ladra didn’t make the final cut.“Probably the worst moment of my coaching career,” said Koubek, the 74-year-old veteran.
However, in good news for the Czechs, attacking midfielder Adam Hlozek of Hoffenheim, who has recently recovered from long-term calf and foot injuries, returned to the squad to play his first game for the national team since June and scored a goal.
The 23-year-old has played 42 international games, scoring five times.
The team was scheduled to leave for the United States later Sunday to play one more warmup against Guatemala in New Jersey on June 4.
The team mainstays included Lyon midfielder Pavel Sulc, Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick and West Ham midfield Tomas Soucek.
The Czechs qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2006. (AP)
CZECH REPUBLIC SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague).
Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).
Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).
Forwards: Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).
