Euro2008 Group A: Switzerland 0 Czech Republic 1

Substitute Vaclav Sverkos gave the Czech Republic a winning start to Euro 2008 with a second-half strike that broke Switzerland's resistance.

Swiss skipper Alexander Frei was twice denied by Petr Cech before he was forced off injured and Hakan Yakin headed a chance wide after the break. On 70 minutes Sverkos slotted in a low volley from 12 yards after latching on to a ball over the top of the defence.

The Swiss were denied an equaliser when Johan Vonlanthen's volley hit the bar. And it might prove that the width of the woodwork could be the end of the Swiss, with tough matches against Portugal and Turkey to come in Group A.

Realistically the tournament's co-hosts needed to get something out of their opening game, and they started as though they were absolutely determined to. After three minutes, the Czechs gave the ball away cheaply in midfield but Frei dragged his shot wide and failed to capitalise.

That should have been a wake-up call to the Czechs, but they appeared in no rush to raise their tempo. As a result, Switzerland - unfancied in the group - grew in confidence and stroked the ball around, but with little cutting edge.

A weak effort from Gokhan Inler was indicative of their toothless attacks up until that point. Frei, though, looked the liveliest player on the pitch, and despite having no help from his struggling strike partner Marco Streller, he began to cause some problems.

It took a decent stop from Cech to deny him the opening goal of Euro 2008 after he had latched on to a long clearance from his own keeper.