Czech Republic vs. Ukraine | UEFA Nations League | Pre Match

The Fortuna Arena in Prague plays host to an early UEFA Nations League basement battle on Tuesday evening, when the Czech Republic pit their wits against Ukraine in League B Group 1.

Ivan Hasek's troops were embarrassed 4-1 by Georgia in their opening assignment, while their visitors failed to cling onto a one-goal lead against Albania, losing 2-1.

Holidays to Tbilisi may not be on the bucket list of any Czech supporters or indeed players, as Tuesday's hosts found themselves four goals down inside 66 minutes on Saturday thanks to strikes from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Georges Mikautadze, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Giorgi Kochorashvili.

Lukas Kalvach at least managed to wipe out Georgia's clean sheet with 10 minutes remaining, but there was to be no outrageous comeback from Hasek's men, whose misfortunes continued three months on from their group-stage exit at the European Championships.

Relegated from the top tier of the Nations League last season, the Czech Republic will be on a one-way path to the third tier without an end-of-year revival; their -3 goal difference after one game leaves them in fourth place in their League B group.

From winning each of his first four games in the Czech dugout after taking the reins in January, Hasek has now overseen a dismal run of four matches without a victory and is still searching for his first competitive triumph as head coach; all four of his early successes came in friendlies.

The neutral crowd can always expect an entertaining affair when the Czechs are involved, though; Tuesday's hosts have both scored and conceded in all eight games under Hasek's wing and are on an 11-match scoring sequence since being shut out by Albania in November 2023.

Albania could coincidentally not keep their sheets clean against Ukraine on Saturday, where right-back Yukhym Konoplya opened the scoring just four minutes into the second half, but it took the Albanians just five minutes to hit back hard.

Indeed, Ardian Ismajli wiped out Ukraine's lead within moments before Jasir Asani completed a lightning-quick turnaround for the 'visitors' - the contest took place at Stadion Letna in Prague as war continues to rage in the Ukrainians' homeland.

Sergiy Rebrov's men therefore only have a short journey to make for their next Nations League engagement, where they square up to a nation who experienced a similarly excruciating summer; Ukraine also suffered a Euros group-stage exit after being tipped as the dark horses by many.

The Blue and Yellow's current third-placed standing would force them to fight for their League B status in the relegation playoffs, but there is ample time for Rebrov's men to turn the tide and contend for promotion to the top tier, which they briefly competed in during the 2020-21 edition.

Ukraine coincidentally rose to League A thanks to a pair of victories over the Czech Republic in the inaugural 2018-19 Nations League, but the spoils were shared when they last locked horns in a 2021 friendly, where Matej Vydra popped up with a 90th-minute equaliser for Tuesday's hosts.