Liverpool star plays the ball, takes out opposing coach

[The Beautiful Game]

Latvia? Latveria? Lithuania? Whatever.

If you thought the God-awful yelping delivered by Destiny’s Child Kelly Rowland to patriotic Americans last night was insulting, then consider the treatment given by the Czech Republic to their opponents on Tuesday.

When they arrived at the Stadion Eden, the visitors were treated to a proud display of Latvian flags, and a triumphant version of the Latvian national anthem ‘Dievs, svētī Latviju!’ (‘God bless Latvia!’). The welcome would have been enough to bring tears to the eyes of the nation’s most famous resident, medical professional Dr Doom.

All was fine and dandy, except for the fact that the Latvian squad were sitting at home in their tiny Baltic nation