With both sides on zero points from their first two matches, there was only pride and the wooden spoon to play for.

The Danes created the best chances of the half, but their front pairing of Mikkel Beck and Jon Dahl Tomasson lacked the necessary killer touch.

Patrik Berger made his first appearance of Euro 2000, and Milan Fukal replaced Petr Gabriel in the Czech defence as Josef Chovanec made just two changes to his side.

They and Denmark were playing for the wooden spoon in Group D with France and Holland already assured of qualification.

In his final game as Denmark coach, Bo Johansson chose to make four changes from the side beaten 3-0 by Holland in Rotterdam on Friday.

In came Stig Tofting, Brian Steen Nielsen, Bjarne Goldbaek and Beck with Allan Nielsen, Soren Colding, Morten Bisgaard and Ebbe Sand missing out.

Fulham winger Goldbaek almost gave the Danes a second-minute lead, shooting over when well placed from just 12 yards.

Tofting's corner caused a brief moment of worry in the Czech box. But the danger was cleared, and Tofting's second ball drifted into touch.

Berger's appearance was his first at Euro 2000 after a sending-off in qualifying earned him a two-game ban.

His seventh-minute free-kick gave Peter Schmeichel his first real taste of the action, and the Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper clattered into team-mate Michael Schonberg with giant striker Jan Koller threatening.

An offside decision denied Vladimir Smicer when the Liverpool winger broke free on the right, but the Czechs were beginning to put together some neat passing sequences and were looking more like a team that FIFA rank the third best in the world.

Beck wasted the Danes' second real chance of the opening 15 minutes when he rose brilliantly at the back post but planted a header high and wide of Pavel Srnicek's goal.

Berger's absence was cited by coach Chovanec as the main reason for the Czechs' failure to reach the last eight, but he failed to catch onto the early pace as his lack of match practice showed.

Karel Poborsky was caught late neat the touchline, but Koller was unable to make connection with the Benfica winger's free-kick and the ball bounced safely through to Schmeichel.

Five thousand Czechs had travelled to Amsterdam and even though their team began sluggishly, their vociferous supporters were on top form.

A terrific ball from Tomasson set Gronkjaer free on the left, but his cross flew beyond the onrushing forwards.

Gronkjaer had been Denmark's top outfield player in their two previous matches, and he delivered a better ball a minute later.

It nearly bisected the defence and put Beck in, but Srnicek made a superb claim at his near post.

A fine Tomas Repka interception denied Beck a run on the left, but Denmark nearly got in again in the thirtieth minute.

Berger was forced to clear the ball for a corner, which Srnicek needed to punch away at his near post.

Tomasson came closest to opening the scoring on 31 minutes when his overhead kick bounced into the ground and then almost over Srnicek.

The Sheffield Wednesday stopper was able to arch his back and tip the ball over the bar, but Denmark still looked the most likely scorers.

Pavel Nedved, excellent against France and Holland, was another Czech who was barely figuring in midfield, and his team desperately needed someone to put his foot on the ball.

Poborsky tried his luck from a Bejbl knock-back, but his effort dribbled wide.

Smicer nearly scored on the breakaway as he latched on to a Poborsky through ball and thrashed it at Schmeichel who was unable to hold on. Luckily for the goalkeeper, his defence had regrouped and were able to charge down Smicer's follow-up.

The Czechs, runners-up in 1996, looked frustrated and keen to be on the next plane back to Prague.

Half-time came as a welcome relief to the crowd who will be hoping for a more action-packed second period.