Euro 2020: We fought like the lions on our crest, says Czech Republic captain Vladimir Darida

Czech Republic skipper Vladimir Darida after his side’s 2-1 loss against Denmark on Saturday said that his team showed good performances, fighting spirit, and fought like the lions on our crest, throughout the tournament.

Thomas Delaney and Kasper Dolberg scored a goal each to give Denmark a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic and a spot in the European Championship semifinals. Denmark hasn’t gotten this far at a major tournament since winning the European title in 1992.

“There is nothing we should be ashamed of. We showed good performances, fighting spirit, we fought like the lions on our crest. That was obvious in today’s match also. It is a pity we could not equalise, because I believe that it would have turned our way then,” Czech Republic skipper Vladimir Darida.

“Denmark are a great team. They defended well, and the early goal helped their tactics. It is so hard to get into them. It is just a pity,” added Darida.

Delaney scored with a header in the fifth minute and Dolberg made it 2-0 in the 42nd. The Czechs got one back from Patrik Schick in the 49th. It was Schick’s fifth goal of the tournament. However, he won’t be able to but will not overhaul Cristiano Ronaldo for the top scorer award by virtue of the Portuguese forward’s assist at the tournament.

Denmark were not unbeatable, and we are sorry for that: Patrik Schick

“We are very disappointed, it all ends here for us. I think we did everything to succeed, but we did not have any power to turn it in our favour in the final minutes,” said Patrik Schick.

Schick is one of a select group of nine players to score five or more goals at a UEFA Euro finals and the second Czech player, after Baros in 2004. Only France duo Griezmann (six in 2016) and Platini (nine in 1984) have scored more at a single tournament.

“We added another forward in the second half, tried to play faster and put them under more pressure. It looked hopeful after an early goal. But we did not find a way to getting the equaliser. We simply ran out of power by the end.”

“We made a mistake for the first goal, we doubled up on one player with Kali (Tomas Kalas), and the other remained unmarked. There was a mix-up in communication,” said Schick.”With regards my goals, yes, it was a good tournament. We all feel we could have got more today. Denmark were not unbeatable and we are sorry for that,” added Schick.