EXTRA HIT: The miracle against the USA did not come. The whole championship was not good, regret the experts

The beginning of the match belonged to the Americans, who significantly outshot the Czech team. The fears of Olympic champion Šlégr in the Sport.cz studio about the fact that the Czechs will bet more on a defensive game were thus fulfilled. Less than four minutes before the end of the first period, it was 10:2 shots for the USA. And the overseas team also took the lead, albeit a narrow 1:0.

“Some bad luck,” agreed Kézr and Šlégr, when the puck bounced into the net off the skate of Czech defender Michal Jordán behind Vejmelk’s back. “What kind of intervention was that,” the Olympic champion jumped out of his chair in the Sport.cz studio and showed what the Czech defense did wrong. “We mustn’t stand with our backs to the puck,” he explained.

“We’re doing everything we said we shouldn’t do. So it’s clear that we won’t play well for the whole sixty minutes. I feel heavy pessimism,” Kézr did not spare criticism when evaluating the first period. “I can’t imagine that we will win. If we don’t win, we will go home,” added Šlégr.

The Czech team added in the middle 20 minutes and for a while it looked like they could think about erasing the goal deficit. However, the opposite was true, the second goal was added by the opponent after an inconspicuous shot from the bar. “It’s a blow, the beginning of the third period didn’t look bad,” lamented the journalist in the studio. Karel Vejmelka probably didn’t have a clear conscience about the goal either. “This should be catchable,” agreed Šlégr.

However, he continued his assessment in an optimistic tone. “It’s still playable, we just have to attack and shoot. The Americans were caught off guard, if we follow up on that, two shots could fall there,” raged the Lithuanian legend. The editor-in-chief of Sport.cz puts the brakes on optimism again. “Only a third of the dreams will save us, otherwise I don’t see it well.”

The experts at the Sport.cz studio agreed that it would be appropriate to work with the Czech team. “I would play on three lines and easily on four backs,” Kézr advises Šlégr. And it happened, Radim Zohorna moved into the first attack. But the desired change did not come. Instead, the Americans added a third goal and the Czech hope for success slowly disappeared.

“We didn’t beat any of the strong teams. It’s disappointing. We had fifteen shots for the whole match, but only four were dangerous,” the expert in the studio regretted. “It was one of the worst quarter-finals played by the Czech national team. I don’t say it lightly, but last year’s bronze medal was lucky. This team seemed dull and withered to me. I don’t feel good at all,” criticized Kézr.

“It seemed to me that so far we have been saving up for this match, just as there was a rotation of goalkeepers. So I believe that now it will all fit together and we will be able to win,” said the former Czech hockey player before the match. The reality was different. “Our team looked tired, instead the Americans were flying around the ice.”

The question also remains whether Finnish expert Kari Jalonen will remain in the position of national team coach after finishing eighth. “We are disappointed, we wanted to see better performances, but there is no need to shave our heads right away. It is necessary to analyze everything, make an analysis and then solve everything,” Šlégr stated that the solution to the position of national team coach for the World Cup 2024 in Prague should not be hasty.

“The question is more whether it was not the ceiling by the Czech team. Being eighth is a failure, Kari Jalonen is under contract, but tell me what will happen when Kari finishes. Who will come in his place,” added Kézr