Wales and Republic of Ireland both endured disappointing starts, leaving Germany as the Czechs' sole threat as group winners, with Slovakia, Cyprus and San Marino desperately lacking the quality to be genuine challengers for qualification.

A home defeat to the Germans proved to be a mere blip and Karel Bruckner's men avenged that result later in 2007 with an emphatic 3-0 win in Munich, although by then Germany had already guaranteed qualification.

Having conceded just five goals throughout the campaign - the meanest defence in the group - the Czechs secured their ticket to Austria and Switzerland with two games to spare.

"Qualifying is nice but the way we did it makes it even better," said centre-back David Rozehnal following the Munich triumph.

If the Czechs' campaign looked like plain sailing on paper, in reality they kicked off qualifying with a nervy, fortunate 2-1 win at home to Wales.

David Lafata scored twice on his international debut in the 76th and 89th minutes, after Martin Jiranek's own goal looked to have earned the visitors a point.

The second game was somewhat more emphatic.

A 3-0 win over neighbouring Slovakia in Bratislava courtesy of goals from Libor Sionko (two) and Jan Koller gave the Czechs a huge confidence boost and they continued their scoring spree with a 7-0 annihilation of San Marino.

Koller and fellow striker Milan Baros both netted twice in that game, but they were not afforded the same opportunities against the Republic of Ireland and were held to a 1-1 draw in Dublin.

Germany had also recorded three wins and a draw by the time the two sides met in Prague in March 2007, but a Kevin Kuranyi double gave Joachim Low's charges the points and a place at the top of Group D.

The defeat marked the start of a comparatively lean spell for the Czech Republic, who scraped to a narrow 1-0 win at home to Cyprus four days later thanks to Radoslav Kovac's first-half header, and then played out a dull goalless draw against Wales in Cardiff in June.

But if San Marino are the opponents, there is always scope for a goal-fest and Tomas Rosicky, Marek Jankulovski and Koller all capitalised as the Czechs saw off the beleaguered minnows.

Jankulovski was on the scoresheet again as the Czech Republic edged a narrow 1-0 win against an Irish side reduced to 10 men and a pivotal point in the campaign followed when they took on already-qualified Germany at the Allianz Arena.

Sionko gave his side the perfect start by scoring in the second minute and Marek Matejovsky's strike midway through the first half gave the visitors breathing space. Jaroslav Plasil capped a dazzling display - individually and collectively - with a clever 63rd-minute lob to wrap up a memorable win and secure the Czech Republic's place in the finals.

The victory tasted even sweeter given that several key players, including Rosicky, were missing and it was Low's first competitive defeat since taking over from Jurgen Klinsmann in July 2006.

With qualification guaranteed, the Czechs could relax and continued their impressive form with wins over Slovakia and Cyprus to finish top of the group.

Boasting superior goal difference, the Germans were in pole position going into the final qualifying match but were held to a goalless draw at home to Wales to slip down to second place.

At home to the Slovaks, Zdenek Grygera, Marek Kulic and Rosicky gave the Czech Republic a commanding lead before Michal Kadlec put through his own net to offer the visitors a consolation.

In the Cypriot capital Nicosia, an own goal from Daniel Pudil and Koller's second-half header gave the Czechs all three points and, with Germany drawing, ensured they completed Group D in first place.

Czech Republic boast a 100% qualification record for European Championships, having made it to all four finals since becoming an independent nation in 1993.

Koller was the side's top scorer with six and he also committed more fouls than any other player in qualifying - a whopping 36.

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