Sport

Gerard Pique relieved as late goal sees Spain past Czechs

&nbsp;Spain's Gerard Pique celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the match between Spain and the Czech Republic at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse<br />Picture by AP
 Spain's Gerard Pique celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the match between Spain and the Czech Republic at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse
Picture by AP
 Spain's Gerard Pique celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the match between Spain and the Czech Republic at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse
Picture by AP

Gerard Pique struck a late winner as defending champions Spain opened their Euro 2016 campaign with a narrow victory over the Czech Republic.

The Barcelona defender headed in with three minutes left to end the frustration for the holders and seal a 1-0 win.

Spain, 2008 and 2012 European champions, were utterly dominant but looked like drawing a blank until Pique struck in Toulouse in Group D.

Roman Hubnik almost scored an own goal while Alvaro Morata and Jordi Alba were denied by Petr Cech at the Stadium Municipal.

Spain spent most of the game camped inside the Czech half and are now level with Croatia after their 1-0 win over Turkey on Sunday.

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, who defended himself against allegations in the Spanish press about his private life on Friday, started while David Silva earned his 100th cap.

Tomas Rosicky, a free agent this summer, also started for the Czechs having played just 19 minutes of football for Arsenal last season.

The Czech Republic had never beaten Spain but made a positive start, although their final ball and Vladimir Darida's weak free-kick stopped them from seriously threatening.

Spain quickly took control but struggled to make a breakthrough as the Czechs flooded the defence and midfield to stifle the holders.

They had to wait until the 16th minute to carve apart their rigid opponents when Morata almost put Spain ahead.

Silva wriggled free on the right to deliver a drilled low cross which Morata met first time from seven yards, only for Cech to produce an instinctive save.

With Spain dominant, Pavel Vrba's Czech side showed little ambition and Cech denied Morata again after 29 minutes, turning the Juventus striker's low effort wide.

The Czech Republic failed to keep a clean sheet in 10 qualifying games and Spain continued to press as Sergio Busquets fired wildly over.

Dangerman Morata easily found space while Cesc Fabregas' runs from deep caused problems with the Chelsea midfielder freed from any defensive responsibilities.

Full-backs Alba and Juanfran piled forward and, six minutes before half-time, Cech beat away Alba's angled drive before he rushed out to smother at Silva's feet as Spain turned up the heat.

In a one-sided first half Tomas Necid's tame effort just before the break was held by De Gea but the Czechs offered little threat despite their defensive resistance.

It seemed only a matter of time before Spain went ahead and Hubnik nearly scored a calamitous own goal within a minute of the re-start when he turned Morata's cross onto his own post.

A minute later the defender blocked from Nolito and Sergio Ramos.

Vicente del Bosque's side had not lost at the European Championships since June 2004 and there was little suggestion the Czechs would break that run until De Gea was forced into action when Hubnik reacted to Ladislav Krejci's 57th-minute free-kick.

With frustration building Aritz Aduriz, who scored 36 goals in 55 games for Athletic Bilbao last season, replaced Morata.

But Spain survived a scare after 65 minutes when Fabregas saved an almost certain opener when he acrobatically hooked Theodor Gebre Selassie's goalbound header away.

The chances for Spain continued to flow, though, and Alba should have done better when he was found by Silva, only to have the ball whipped off his toes by Hubnik with just Cech to beat.

Aduriz's acrobatic effort dropped wide as Spain began to run out of time and David Limbersky produced a wonderful late tackle just as Thiago was about to pull the trigger with 10 minutes left.

But Pique finally broke the deadlock and bagged a deserved win for Spain after 87 minutes when he pounced on Andres Iniesta's cross to nod past Cech from four yards.

Spanish fans celebrate:

Darida could still have snatched a draw for the Czech Republic but his injury-time volley flew straight at De Gea.

After the game Pique revealed his relief.

The Barcelona centre-back told Spanish TV channel Telecinco: "We played really well, controlled the game, made lots of chances, but the ball did not want to go in.

"I had the fortune to score the goal, but the team all played very well. We attacked with a lot of order, opened up the field well, and had to keep attacking until the goal came.

"It was a great ball from Iniesta. We wanted to win as we knew it was very important to get three points in our first game. Now we will wait on the second game."

Pique scored four goals in his first 12 Spain outings but his late header was his first goal for his country in 66 matches.

Cech also made more passes in this game than any other Czech Republic player (36) to underline Spain's dominance.

The Arsenal keeper twice denied Alvaro Morata and saved from Jordi Alba and David Silva while Roman Hubnik almost scored an own goal when his clearance hit a post.

Man of the match Iniesta also insisted Spain will not ditch their possession-based style, which saw them win the last two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, despite almost failing to win.

"This is our path," he told Telecinco. "We have achieved many successes doing this. It is our way. We have a very good team, can overcome any rival, although it is always difficult. This win will keep us relaxed, these are an important three points, and now we will keep going.

"We have played many games like this before. We try and push and push and push, so that the defence makes a mistake in the end and we can score.

"Football is like this, sometimes you have the ball a lot, and in the end the game tilted our way and we are very happy."

Boss Vicente Del Bosque added: "We have started the finals well. Three very important points. We are still in charge of our own destiny. It was a great result for us. We had the initiative for most of the game, apart from a few moments, so it was strange we had to wait so long for the goal."

The Czech Republic could still have snatched a point in injury time but Vladimir Darida's volley flew straight at David De Gea.

Manager Pavel Vrba told a press conference: "It's disappointing to concede a goal so late. We could have scored ourselves, which doesn't often happen against Spain.

"We played at our maximum level and it is a shame not to get at least a point."

Cech added to UEFA.com "I thought we did exceptionally well for 86 minutes, we were constantly under pressure but we managed to work them. Unfortunately their talent and quality is huge and they managed to find the goal."