Wales lose to last-minute goal

Wales saw a night of defiance and toil ruined just 90 seconds from the end of their first European Championship qualifying match after a late goal gave the Czech Republic a 2-1 victory.

John Toshack's game were under the cosh in their Group D game in the Czech Republic for long spells - but were left regretting two wasted chances by Craig Bellamy.

David Lafata scored with 14 minutes left, with Wales arguing that the Czech substitute was offside when he netted.

But the Welsh pushed forward, introduced strikers in David Cotterill and Robert Earnshaw, and were rewarded when they grabbed a point through David Rozehnal's own goal five minutes from time.

However, Lafata hooked home his second goal at the death to cruelly shatter the hopes of Toshack's brave troops.

There were heroes throughout the defence, but none better than Danny Gabbidon as Wales withstood almost constant pressure.

Toshack opted predictably for a five-man defence, with Lewin Nyatanga named as a third centre-back for the biggest test of the 57-year-old's management of his country.

The Czechs are also in transition after a poor World Cup.

Pavel Nedved and Karel Poborsky have retired while Milan Baros, Vladimir Smicer, David Jarolim and Zdenek Grygera were all injured for tonight's game and Jan Polak was missing through suspension.

The Czechs also had a new captain in Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky and fielded in their line-up just five of the side who finished their disappointing World Cup group stage with a 2-0 defeat by Italy.

The pace of the Czechs and the height of Jan Koller unsettled Wales from the start, with Koller going close before setting up Marek Kulic for an effort which was saved by Paul Jones.

The pattern of their flowing play was aimed at the perceived weak Wales left flank, where Sam Ricketts struggled and Nyatanga was pulled out of position as the pressure mounted.

But in the 29th minute Ryan Giggs sent Bellamy clear - and the Liverpool striker tried to take the ball round Cech, but the Chelsea goalkeeper got a hand in the way.

But Bellamy regained possession and left Cech on the ground, only to fire his shot into the sidenetting with two defenders back on the line.

Ricketts was pushed further up the left, trying to stop Tomas Ujfalusi's surges from right-back. It worked to an extent but Wales were happy to reach the break unscathed.

The visitors attempted to solve their problem on the left by replacing Carl Fletcher with Joe Ledley, who played ahead of Ricketts - the Czechs also tried to exploit the situation by replacing Jiri Stajner with Rangers winger Libor Sionko.

Within a minute of the restart a Davies cross eluded Cech - being watched by his Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho - as Giggs flung himself into the six-yard box.

Marek Jankulovski then had a shot charged down after a tapped free-kick, before Rosicky surged onto a Koller pass to fire just wide.

But Wales created and wasted a glorious chance in the 75th minute.

Giggs pushed the ball wide to Bellamy, who cut inside Ujfalusi but fired wide of the near post from 10 yards.

Wales players and officials held their head in their hands, and it got worse a minute later when Lafata nodded the ball home from three yards.

Wales complained that the Czech had been behind Jones with only one defender on the line and therefore offside, but the goal was awarded and Carl Robinson was booked for complaining.

Toshack responded by sending on Earnshaw and Cotterill for Ricketts and Delaney, Davies and Ledley now playing deep on the flanks.

And the visitors levelled in the 85th minute when Cotterill's low cross was turned into his own net by Rozehnal.

But with 90 seconds left Lafata popped up in the box to hook home after Wales had failed to clear a left wing cross - and Wales were robbed of a point.