Czechs Crush Danes to Make Semis

Giant striker Jan Koller headed the Czechs in front in the 49th minute before Liverpool marksman Milan Baros scored twice in two minutes to kill off the 1992 champions and ensure Karel Bruckner's men maintained their 100 percent record in the competition.

Baros' double -- a clever chip and an unstoppable rising left-footed drive -- took his goal tally to five in four matches, making him the tournament's highest goalscorer.

The Czech Republic, beaten finalists in 1996 when they lost to Germany at Wembley stadium in England, will play Greece in the semi-finals here at the same stadium on Thursday.

The Czechs were the first to threaten, Pavel Nedved's whipped 20-yard free-kick wide on the left wing gathered safely by Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. Koller, at 2.02 metres (6ft 7ins) the tallest player at Euro 2004, headed Karel Poborsky's right-wing cross over the bar and Tomas Galasek's low drive sailed wide as the Czechs maintained their early momentum before Denmark mustered their first attack.

Claus Jensen found space on the left after a weak defensive clearance and the livewire Charlton midfielder fed Christian Poulsen whose goalbound drive was blocked by a forest of Czech legs. Poulsen headed wide as the Danes slowly wrestled control of the match before Thomas Gravesen, pulling the strings for the Scandinavians in central midfield, fired a drive into the stands from the edge of the box.

Former Manchester United winger Karel Poborsky came the closest to breaking the deadlock a minute before half-time, the Czech midfielder's right-wing cross bouncing off the top of the crossbar. The match sprang to life four minutes after the break when the Czechs took the lead.

Nedved won a corner which Poborsky drove into the penalty box and Koller stole a yard on his marker to plant a firm header past a helpless Sorensen. The Czechs tightened their grip in the 63rd minute when they increased their advantage with a swift counter-attack.

Poborsky's clever ball found Baros who outpaced Danish captain Rene Henriksen before lifting the ball over the advancing Sorensen. Baros put the result beyond doubt two minutes later, collecting Nedved's clever diagonal pass before lashing the ball into the roof of the net.

Lineups:

Czech Republic: Petr Cech; Martin Jiranek (Zdenek Grygera
39th), Rene Bolf (David Rozehnal 65th), Tomas Ujfalusi,
Marek Jankulovski; Tomas Galasek, Tomas Rosicky, Karel
Poborsky, Pavel Nedved; Jan Koller, Milan Baros (Marek
Heinz 70th).

Denmark: Thomas Soerensen; Thomas Helveg, Martin Laursen, Rene Henriksen, Kasper Boegelund; Claus Jensen (Peter Madsen 70th), Jesper Groenkjaer (Dennis Rommedahl 77th), Thomas Gravesen, Christian Poulsen, Martin Joergensen (Peter Lovenkrands 86th); Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Referee: Valentin Ivanov, Russia.