Czech Republic sweep aside San Marino

Tomáš Pekhart scored a first-half hat-trick as the Czech Republic won 8-0 at San Marino in their opening 2011 UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualifying fixture.

Pekhart flurry
The striker, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur FC to SK Slavia Praha, opened the scoring in the 19th minute and, after midfielder Tomáš Horava had made it two for the visitors ten minutes later, found the net twice more before the break. The Czech Republic continued to dominate the Group 5 encounter and Jirí Valenta scored the fifth just before the interval.

'Physical superiority'
Borek Dockal got in on the act in Serravalle at the beginning of the second period with a penalty before adding the seventh with 20 minutes remaining. With eight minutes to go, San Marino defender Michele Cervellini was sent off for a foul in the area but Pekhart was denied a fourth by goalkeeper Federico Casadei from the spot. There was still time for an eighth Czech goal as Jan Chramosta added to the misery of Massimo Agostini, in his first match as San Marino coach. "Their physical superiority was huge," Agostini said. "We tried to make as few mistakes as possible but we knew it was a very difficult match for us."