Ireland blow two-goal lead before suffering penalty heartbreak against Czech Republic

FootballSports
27 Mar 2026 • 7:16 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • The Czech Republic defeated Ireland 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout after their World Cup play-off semi-final ended in a 2-2 draw.
  • Ireland initially took a 2-0 lead within 23 minutes through a Troy Parrott penalty and an own goal.
  • The Czech Republic fought back with a Patrik Schick penalty and a late equaliser from Ladislav Krejci, sending the match into extra time.
  • Finn Azaz and Alan Browne missed their spot-kicks for Ireland during the penalty shootout.
  • Jan Kliment scored the decisive penalty for the Czech Republic, securing their progression to face Denmark in the final play-off.

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