Budapest, June 27: Tomas Holes and Patrik Schick scored second-half goals to give the Czech Republic a 2-0 win over 10-man Netherlands and a place in the quarterfinals of the European Championship.
Netherlands central defender Matthijs de Ligt was sent off for a handball in the 55th minute when under pressure from Schick. The red card was given following a video review.
Holes then put the Czechs ahead in the 68th minute with a powerful close-range header. He sprinted into the left of the penalty area and squared the ball to give Schick his fourth goal of the tournament in the 80th.
The Czechs will next face Denmark in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Baku.
The Czechs reached the last eight of a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2012, when they lost to Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner that day.
They have not qualified for past three World Cups and finished last in their group at Euro 2016.
On a warm evening at the 67,215-capacity Puskas Arena in Budapest, the Dutch team paid for not creating enough chances.
With Schick practically on his back inside the penalty area, De Ligt slipped and scooped the ball away with his right hand. Referee Sergei Karasev awarded a free kick and, after jogging over to check his TV monitor, sent off De Ligt with a red card.
The incident came only moments after the Dutch could have taken the lead when forward Donyell Malen went clean through.
He failed to get around goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik with an empty net waiting. (AP)
