Czech Republic's final World Cup squad includes 17-year-old Hugo Sochůrek

PRAGUE (AP) — Sparta Prague midfielder Hugo Sochurek was included in the Czech Republic squad for the World Cup after he became the youngest player for the national team in a warmup game against Kosovo on Sunday.

The Czechs won 2-1 and 17-year-old Sochůrek came on as a substitute. Immediately after the game, coach Miroslav Koubek cut his initial selection of 29 to the final 26.

FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha, Mladá Boleslav forward Christophe Kabongo and Viktoria Plzen midfielder Tomas Ladra didn't make the final cut.

“Probably the worst moment of my coaching career,” said Koubek, the 74-year-old veteran.

In good news for the Czechs, attacking midfielder Adam Hložek of Hoffenheim, who has recently recovered from long-term calf and foot injuries, returned to the squad to play his first game for the national team since June and scored a goal.

The 23-year-old has played 42 international games, scoring five times.

The team was scheduled to leave for the United States later Sunday to play one more warmup against Guatemala in New Jersey on June 4.

The team mainstays included Lyon midfielder Pavel Sulc, Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick and West Ham midfield Tomas Soucek.

Koubek also included two Slavia Prague players — forward Tomas Chory and defender David Doudera — who were suspended for disciplinary reasons by the club for the rest of the season and transfer-listed.

During the World Cup, the Czechs will be based in Mansfield, Texas.

They will open the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada against South Korea on June 11 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Their other Group A opponents are South Africa (Atlanta, June 18) and Mexico (Mexico City, June 25).

The Czechs qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2006.

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Czech Republic:

Goalkeepers: Lukáš Horníček (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague).

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Douděra (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranáč (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).

Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzeň), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Králové), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadílek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochůrek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzeň), Tomáš Souček (West Ham), Pavel Šulc (Lyon), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzeň).

Forwards: Tomáš Chorý (Slavia Prague), Adam Hložek (Hoffenheim), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup