PREVIEW-Soccer-Czechs pin hopes on Baros return against Ireland

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PRAGUE, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Czech Republic are counting on the pace of Milan Baros to sharpen their attack against Ireland on Wednesday and take a big step towards qualifying for Euro 2008.

Despite a 3-0 win against San Marino on Saturday, the Czechs face Ireland after a poor attacking display, having created few chances and often looking disorganised in the middle against lowly opponents who were reduced to 10 men.

Jan Koller, their only consistent attacking threat of late, is suspended but Baros has been cleared to play after a back injury and will give them different options against the Irish.

Midfielder Tomas Rosicky said: "We'll have to play a different style. With Jan, he's so tall we can play long balls and take advantage of this...We'll have to build up plays a lot more.

"Milan, like Jan, is very quick. And that's what we will try to do. Our strikers should be able to outplay Irish defenders, who are big, but not as quick."

Baros was optimistic about his comeback, telling reporters after a training session on Monday: "So far, so good".

The Czechs are second in Group D, five points behind leaders Germany and three ahead of the Irish after eight matches.

Coach Karel Brueckner, looking to get the Czechs to a fourth consecutive European championship finals, will call on Sparta Prague striker Libor Dosek to fill Koller's shoes.

"I mulled recalling Libor even before this match. I know he can fill (Koller's) post. It was a deliberate move," he said.

WIN NEEDED

Ireland need a win to stand a realistic chance of qualifying after what manager Steve Staunton described as a "sloppy" game against Slovakia at the weekend that ended in a 2-2 draw.

"If we're going to qualify -- unless results go pear-shaped elsewhere -- we have to win that game (against the Czechs)," Staunton said on Sunday.

"Four points was the objective from these two matches and I know we said we didn't want to lose any of them ... but if we do win in the Czech Republic, it opens it back up again."

Staunton's options are limited, however, by a squad that has now been whittled down to 20 from an original 25 after he released Stephen Ireland from international duty following the death of his grandmother.

The Manchester City midfielder scored Ireland's first goal in Saturday's game against Slovakia.

Staunton also said on Monday that Liverpool's Steve Finnan and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Darren Potter, who have been undergoing treatment for injuries at their clubs, had failed to recover in time for Wednesday.

Probable teams:

Czech Republic: Petr Cech; Tomas Ujfalusi, Radoslav Kovac, David Rozehnal, Marek Jankulovski; David Jarolim, Tomas Galasek, Tomas Rosicky, Jan Polak; Milan Baros, Libor Dosek

Ireland: Shay Given; Richard Dunne, Stephen Kelly, Paul McShane, John O'Shea; Lee Carsley, Stephen Hunt, Kevin Kilbane, Andy Reid; Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane

Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece)

Keywords: SOCCER EUROPE/CZECH