After convincing victories last time out the Czech Republic and Germany meet at the Eden Arena in the European Under-21 Championship on Tuesday night knowing that defeat could signal the end of their campaign.
However, while the Germans would likely progress with a point, the tournament hosts’ collapse in the opening match means that securing a win could be vital to their semi-final hopes.
The Lvicata will take confidence in the fact that they are unbeaten in three matches against Germany, drawing twice and winning the other.
Their last encounter, also at Eden Arena in Prague, in November 2014 was a friendly that finished 1-1 with Moritz Leitner cancelling out a first-half strike from Michael Krmencik.
It was a similar story when they last met in a competitive fixture on 3 September 2010, again ending 1-1 when Lukas Marecek gave the Czechs the lead only for Jan Kirchhoff to equalise.
However, the earlier fixture in that European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign a year earlier in Wiesbaden saw the Lvicata record a memorable 2-1 win over the Germans, a 90th minute Mats Hummels penalty little consolation after a Michael Rabusic double.
Despite difficult opening matches, though, both sides will arrive on the back of wonderful performances and keen to replicate that form in Prague.
The Czech Republic were unstoppable against Serbia as Martin Frydek and a Jan Kliment hat-trick secured a 4-0 win and banished the memory of their defeat to Denmark.
However, while losing that fixture through an 84th minute Pione Sisto goal, Jakub Dovalil’s team had dominated large parts of the match.
Germany started the tournament equally slowly against the Serbs at the Generali Arena, Emre Can cancelling out a Filip Duricic opener, to secure a point that has them sitting top of the group.
Against the Danes, though, Horst Hrubesch’s side were back to their commanding best, brushing them aside 3-0 as Kevin Volland grabbed a brace before Matthias Ginter completing the scoring.
With all to play for you can expect the two coaches to make minimal changes from their last fixtures, however, the Czech Republic will be sweating on the fitness of the impressive Vaclav Kadlec who was forced off injured early in the first-half against Serbia.
Form Guide: Czech Republic (D-L-W-L-W) Germany (D-D-L-D-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Czech Republic (4-2-3-1): Koubek; Kaderabek, Brabec, Kalas, Hybs; Petrak, Zmrhal; Skalak, Travnik, Frydek; Kliment
Germany (4-4-1-1): Ter Stegen; Korb, Ginter, Heintz, Schulz; Bittencourt, Can, Kimmich, Younes; Meyer; Volland
