Czech Republic 2 England 1: Three Lions lose first qualifier in ten years and fluff early chance to book place at Euro 2020

THEY played like they had met in the pub car park half an hour before kick.

Strangers, ringers, first timers thrown in to secure qualification for Euro 2020.

England, playing seat of the pants stuff these days, have been found out at the back.

The proud 43-game unbeaten run in qualies is over, coming to an end after Czech substitute Zdenek Ondrasek scored the winner five minutes from time.

There was no way back.

Perhaps this is the jolt England needed, a reality check after criss-crossing Europe over a spread of six qualifying games without defeat.

It was a truly appalling performance, one of the worst since Southgate turned England into a vibrant, energetic – watchable – team.

Tournament football was the incentive, a win away from making sure they will step out at Wembley next summer in a event that is weighted heavily in England’s favour.

Instead they fluffed it, made to wait until Monday in Bulgaria at least after failing to defend a lead given to them when Harry Kane scored from the spot after five minutes.

This was a puzzling, baffling England performance in Prague.

The Czechs were competitive.

They looked assured on the ball, establishing a game plan after Kane’s early penalty put England in front.

It was something of a culture shock to Southgate.

He is used to playing limited oppo in the qualies, with struggling countries lining out bodies across their own penalty area.

Instead these chippy Czechs played on their own terms, with their rhythmic one-touch first half football causing problems.

They quickly recovered to equalise after just nine minutes when England’s vulnerable defence could not clear a corner.

Kosovo caused them so many problems last month, scoring three times on a crazy night at St Mary’s.

This was more of the same, with Declan Rice failing to clear a corner taken by Jakub Jankto after nine minutes.

Ondrej Celustka touched it on and Jakub Brabec beat the shadowy figures in England’s defence to level.

They were entitled to it.

The celebrations, with Brabec setting off on a 50-yard run to celebrate with the coaching staff, were a tad enthusiastic.

Even so, they deserved to peg England back.

England had been ahead, for all of four minutes, when Kane despatched the 27th goal of his stellar career wearing this shirt.

Raheem Sterling had been taken out, tripped by Lukas Masopust as he was haring into the penalty area off the left flank.

Kane, who missed against Kosovo last month, won the mind games and sent Czech keeper Tomas Vaclik sprawling to his right.

Even with the lead, something did not smell right about this performance.

Jordan Henderson, usually so reliable in the boiler room for club and country, misplaced a couple of ambitious passes.

It also looked like a difficult night for Jadon Sancho.

He was so impressive in the 5-3 over Kosovo, but seemed isolated and exposed out on the right.

The Mason Mount experiment, chucking him in for his first start after his special form with Chelsea, looked doomed from the start.

He barely got going, struggling to make an impression on his first international start for England.

There were passengers all over the place, with a disjointed team failing to put the jigsaw pieces all together.

England were being out-thought, with this vibrant Czech side starting to fancy their chances of nicking a win.

Jordan Pickford had already saved well from Vladimir Coufal, tipping his dipping effort over the bar for the corner that led to the equaliser.

Southgate was sensible to change the shape at the break, to change the system instead of sending for early subs.

He turned to 4-3-3, giving the outfield players a chance to get a grip on the game after a half-time shake-up.

Razza sparkled again, denied by the timing of Vaclik when he dived at the forward’s feet to stop him scoring an England second.

He was booked on his next run, pulled back by fussy ref Damir Skomina when he did not hear the whistle for a foul.

Even so, there were some improvements.

Sancho, reacting first to Kane’s lob-wedge over the Czech defence, could not find the time to get a shot away.

Before that Pickford had done well from Masopust, his body contorting mid-flight to make sure he turned away the winger’s effort.

He did well to deny Alex Kral, shutting him out when he had a dig at the near post.

Southgate had already seen enough, with the double substitution of Ross Barkley and Marcus Rashford for Sancho and Mount with 18 left.

They were two very obvious and necessary changes.

Even so, the night belonged to Czech Republic because they went on to score the winner.

Ondrasek was played in by Masopust, sweeping his effort beyond Pickford 20 minutes after coming on as substitute.

It will not stop England qualifying, but it will give Southgate something to think about over the weekend.

Maybe, just maybe, they are still a work in progress.