After the drama and delirium of last week’s World Cup play-off semi-final victory over Austria, this was a more pedestrian evening for Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium.
It should have been the night that Rob Page’s men faced Scotland or Ukraine for a place in Qatar.
That will have to wait until June at the earliest and, given that Wales have gone 64 years without a place on the world’s biggest stage, a few more months is no great hardship.
Instead, this friendly against the Czech Republic raised funds for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal and also doubled up as a celebration of the career of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.
The 35-year-old Burnley man is no longer first choice for his country but here he became the third man to win 100 caps for Wales, joining Chris Gunter and Gareth Bale.
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There was no Bale in the starting XI. In fact, Hennessey was the only player to retain his place from the Austria match and he led out an inexperienced team as captain.
He kept out a header from Jan Kuchta early on but had no chance with an expertly struck half-volley from West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek that give the visitors a deserved lead after 32 minutes.
Wales were level within two minutes as Nottingham Forest midfielder Brennan Johnson cleverly teed up Rubin Colwill, of Cardiff City, to sweep in his first international goal.
Colwill’s club-mate Will Vaulks then skidded a shot onto the outside of the post from Rabbi Matondo’s lay-off, while Czech substitute Jan Sykora also hit the woodwork soon after the break.
The impressive Johnson raced clear again midway through the second half and this time he opted to square the ball when he should probably have shot and David Zima was able to clear.
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Hennessey received a standing ovation when he was substituted on the hour and Bale’s introduction ten minutes from time enlivened the closing stages. He forced Tomas Vaclik into two smart stops but neither side could find a winner.
Wales (3-4-3): W Hennessey 7 (A Davies 60min, 6) — C Mepham 5, B Cabango 5, C Gunter 6 (J Rodon 61, 6) — S Thomas 6, J Morrell 6, W Vaulks 6 (E Ampadu 61, 7), R Norrington-Davies 5 — R Colwill 7 (G Bale 81), R Matondo 7 (J Williams 71), B Johnson 8 (M Harris 81).
Czech Republic (3-5-1-1): J Stanek 6 (T Vaclik 46, 5) — J Brabec 5, T Petrasek 6, D Zima 6 — J Zeleny 7, M Sadilek 7 (A Barak 63, 6), T Soucek 8, O Lingr 6 (A Hlozek 81), L Masopust 7 (J Jankto 63, 6) — J Pesek 6 (J Sykora 46, 7) — J Kuchta 7 (V Jurecka 46, 6).
Referee P Tierney (Eng). Attendance 12,912.
