On the day Ryan Giggs was set to bow out of International football for Wales, they also had a huge qualifying match against Czech Republic. The qualifying match was to be Ryan Giggs last ever game for Wales and he left his career in International football with his pride and passion still intact.

The Czechs had to win to keep pressure on the teams around them and allow them to qualify for Euro 2008. Wales have a distant chance of making the finals in 2008, but they would need to win all their remaining matches to see it happen. So for the Welsh, this game was mainly trying to keep their pride and send Giggs out with three points, a win against a top team and a send off for one of Wales’ greats.

Milan Baros and Thomas Rosicky, who were the Czechs’ main threats in attack both, showed early on they were up for the game, with efforts that both went wide of Hennessey’s goal. Hennessey is preferred to the veteran keeper, Danny Coyne, was showing a cool head when he took a floated ball from a free kick out of the air with ease.

Wales’ first real attempt came from retiring International Ryan Giggs who tried to supply Craig Bellamy from a rebound but couldn’t thread the ball to him. An out stretched leg from David Rozehnal denied Bellamy an easy goal. Minutes later Giggs curled a free kick just over the crossbar.

A great run from Marek Jankulovski down the left flank created a chance fro Rosicky, but he failed to put any power on his shot, and the ball rolled wide of the post. Jan Koller was the biggest threat to the Welsh defence. His strength and ball control was causing lots of problems to the Welsh defence.

Koumas then had Cech scrambling across his goal to touch a snap-shot wide. Simon Davies’ charged down shot was the last major action of the first half, with the Czechs on top but by no means in control.

Wales had the first real chance of the second half. Collins’ long pass sent Bellamy speeding off down the left and cut the ball back for Giggs, but Rozehnal produced another great tackle.
The Czechs responded by Koller nodding on a cross to Rosicky, but Sam Ricketts’ header saved the Welsh. Koumas had an effort that rebounded off the crossbar with the goalkeeper Cech beaten. Giggs then had another chance, but his shot didn’t have enough curve on the shot and put the ball into Cech’s stomach.

Hennessey pulled off an impressive shot soon after as Kulic broke through, spreading himself to block the goal-bound shot. With two minutes left on the clock Giggs was taken off to a standing ovation from the home crowd. Giggs was replaced by Rob Earnshaw and handed the captains armband to Craig Bellamy. A header from Kulic nearly ruined the Welsh’s party with a header that flew over the bar.
A 0-0 draw for Wales in Wales v Czech Republic, with one of the top teams in Europe was a great result and even better as Giggs went out on a high in his last ever international game.