Great Ground Gash Game

Scotland U21 0-0 Czechia U21 (UEFA U21 European Championship Qualifiers)

The price of fuel is going up, but my road trips seem to be getting longer, something probably has to give, it's time perhaps to stay local for a while, but before that, I'm travelling to Scotland, to cover the national team in both U21 and full internationals this weekend.

The U21's are in Dundee tonight and the only ever previous time I have been in the city was when passing through on a train to cover an Aberdeen match a couple of seasons ago.

Both Scotland and Czechia are fighting in their group behind way ahead leaders Portugal who look a shoe in to qualify for next year's young European Championships in Serbia and Albania, the Czechs are currently second but level on points with Scotland whilst Bulgaria sit fourth a point below in the table, it's all very tight for that playoff spot.

It's a long old trip for me, in fact one of the longest single drives I've ever taken, I must be mad you say? A 6 hour plus road trip that starts at 8:30am, by lunch I'm breaking off at the packed Annandale Services near Lockerbie, a favourite fuelling frequent of mine when up in these parts, then on the road again, towards Glasgow before hitting the M73, M80 and A9 towards Stirling, past Perth and over the River Tay towards Dundee along the A90 where I pull up at 3pm at the Landmark Hotel Spa & Leisure Club, which sounds a lot fancier than it looks.

It's there I have an hour or two to chill before setting off again through town, up the Kingsway following signposts for Football Traffic, finally arriving on Moncur Crescent, where I pull up and park outside somebody's house, just a short hop from Dens Road.

The Venue

The home of Dundee FC, Dens Park is famously close to the home of Dundee United FC, Tannadice, and I have always wanted to come here, for the very reason that you can walk between the two venues which are literally a football pitch away from each other.

I'm walking up the Provost Road where Dens Park sits proudly on a hill, before turning on to Sandeman Street where the stunning Archibald Leitch designed Main Stand runs parallel with the road. It has an apex roof and and an apex centre, curved in the middle as it bends back down the street, opened in 1921 it's the oldest stand at this ground, the oldest stand on the road, as I look further down and see the floodlights and more modern looking home of Dundee United.

Tannadice is remarkably close, apparently just 200 yards away is the total distance, the floodlights nearing as I walk towards the rival venue, it's calm and tranquil as there's not many at Dens Park tonight, I take a quick couple of photos of the externals around the grounds before heading back to the gates which are beautifully taking me back in time.

"The barrier is a bit temperamental" the man on the gate says in a Scottish accent. "Do you want me to jump over it" I reply?

The squeak of a rusty turnstile has me push that bit harder to get through and it's a tight squeeze around the corner, and up the steps where a breeze block wall has a huge 'No Smoking' sign painted across it.

It's like a maze around the concourse as I walk through several doors to find the tea bar, finally arriving at a kiosk window to get a scotch pie, cup of PG tips tea and bag of Munchies for eight Scottish pounds.

Out on the deck, it's beautiful, as I look in awe up at the steel works supporting the pitched roof, the stand, racecourse like, bending in the middle, away from the pitch and back down each wing, it reeks of nostalgia, probably the most beautiful football stand I've ever been in? Archibald Leitch has given me so much pleasure from planting his DNA across football stadiums in Britain, but this has to be the best of the lot of those still standing.

Opposite end is a sad looking empty terrace with pitched roof above and benches for seats, not in use today, it used to be open air terracing backed onto the bank, high above the Dens Road below, each end has more modern single tier seated stands with 'Dundee' etched in white into their blue surrounding fading seats.

The Game

I'm sat on my own at the top of the stand eating a scotch pie, post in view as I gulp the last bit of my now cold tea, the two teams appear with the sky darkening, the floodlights now on offering a warm glow. Czechia's anthem first, before Flower of Scotland, hummed by those inside this venue, it's a far cry from how often loudly sung when I'm at Hampden.

The action is underway as Czechia in all white control most of the possession, they look a good organised side and have one or two players with decent ability. Big striker Matyas Vojta leaves one on left back Mitchell Frame early on.

The long haired Yannick Eduardo is tussling with defenders in attack, the left footed Lukas Ambros looks a brilliant playmaker wearing 18, but attempts at goal are few and far between, a lot of the game is played in front of the opponent, typical sterile international level, possession based, both back fours tight and regimented, very hard to break down.

I'm impressed with Scotland defensively, two good full backs (both of which play for Aberdeen), their centre halves look accomplished too, Dunfermline's Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen reads the game very well, home team hero Luke Graham with his socks rolled down has good size and composure, in midfield I really like Celtic's Kyle Ure who has tenacity, spreading passes and charging forward with aggression, but up top nothing is sticking. I want to like the spectacle wearing Andrew Tod, but other than picking up a needless booking, his effect is minimal.

The Score

At half time there's three Scottish changes made by Manager Scot Gemmill, Tod is one withdrawn, as are wingers Emilio Lawrence and Adedire Mebude, who both at times show pace, but neither can stay on their feet long enough to make an impact.

But despite bringing a much more thick set and robust forward in Ryan One onto the pitch, Scotland create very little, and it's often Czechia controlling proceedings, without really impacting Ruairidah Adams in the Scottish goal.

Albert Labik has a good game at left back getting forward well, Marek Sin comes off the bench late on to offer a forward impact with one chance blazed over, and other than a couple of similar chances skied the net never bustles, late on Scotland might have had a penalty after Mullen softly falls in the box, but it would have been an injustice on the Czechs stern defence, had they conceded, they didn't deserve to lose having controlled most of this match, and didn't, at such a beautiful venue, I'm disappointed that nothing eventful happened, but on the flip side the game seemed to fly by, and I can now get back in good time, to watch the second half of England v Uruguay, back at my hotel.

The Stars

These games do offer a brilliant insight into who could be the future stars, the next generation, and it's always a thrill to watch them live, despite the result, as so many new players open my eyes, the best of their age in their countries.

I had seen Sigma Olomouc goalkeeper Jan Koutny before and he's a player I really like the look of, perhaps he'll be Czechs best since Cech? Gornik Zabrze forward Lukas Ambros was easily my eye candy of the match, he flowed in possession and possessed a neat left foot, gliding on the ball and probing passes around the final third, a talented boy who was well marshalled on the night but I believe there is better to come.

Other good efforts included a skippers performance by big Ondrej Kricfalusi at the back, he picked up a yellow card when turned for speed by James Wilson in the second half but sprayed some lovely balls around and never shifted himself out of third gear. Left back Albert Labick was in high thrust all night, he put in some hard yards and got forward very well indeed, high tempo and high work rate, thick sized with a lot of energy.

In Scotland's armour, I was mostly impressed with their defenders, Mullen and Graham looking comfortable at the heart together, either side, both Dylan Lobban at right back, and Mitchel Frame at left back, both of Aberdeen, both showing aggression, pace, persistence, playing the Andy Robertson way, of offering no mercy to their opponent and looking to go forward at all cost.

Also, providing no mercy was midfielder Kyle Ure, he grafted his socks off and looks to be a cert to keep an eye on whilst next to him, Kilmarnock's David Watson with the armband on played some lovely balls forward, but little in attack, for moments, Emilio Lawrence shown technique, Ryan One came on and looked a proper threat, reminding me a little of Che Adams, he's of good size and has pace and power having done well on loan at Lincoln City this season.

The Verdict

A lovely ground, a must visit is Dens Park, what I love about Scottish football is that it feels untouched, unmodernised unlike down south of the border, it still feels like it did for me in the 80's when watching Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest play in short shorts, on the open terraces at cigarette smoke filled stadiums, Dens Park has that nostalgic feel of when football was better way back when, how it felt when I was growing up, that feeling of visiting a new but old stadium for the first time and being in awe of its dirty surroundings.

It's just a shame the football didn't match up to the backdrop, but you never know, I might come back soon? After all, I now have Tannadice to tick off my bucket list.

The Teams

Scotland: Ruairidh Adams, Dylan Lobban, Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Luke Graham, Mitchel Frame, Emilio Lawrence (Ryan One 46), Kyle Ure, David Watson, Adedire Mebude (Connor Allan 46), Barney Stewart (James Wilson 60), Andrew Tod (Ryan Carr 46).

Czechia: Jan Koutny, Filip Lissah, Ondrej Coudek, Ondrej Kricfalusi, Albert Labik, Jan Chytry, Tomas Jelinek, David Planka (Matej Sin 65), Lukas Ambros (Pavel Kacor 86), Matyas Vojta, Yannick Eduardo (Matej Mikulenka 75).

7:00pm Kick Off. Friday 27th March 2026, Dens Park, Dundee (att 1,000).