Wales' hopes of qualifying for the 2013 UEFA Under-21 Championship suffered a blow with a narrow 1-0 home defeat to a slick Czech Republic side tonight.

Impressive Sparta Prague forward Vaclav Kadlec grabbed the only goal after just five minutes at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground but the Welsh needed to defend well to prevent further damage.

The defeat leaves Wales fourth in Group Three halfway through their qualifying campaign, a point behind the Czechs and Armenia, who both have a game in hand.

Rotherham defender Troy Brown went the closest from the handful of chances Wales created - hitting the bar with a looping header in the second half - but the Czechs comfortably held on in a game watched, intriguingly, by Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli.

The visitors were stronger and quicker at the outset and created an early opening when the dangerous Kadlec raced through to win a corner off Daniel Alfei.

The Czechs maintained the pressure and went ahead after winning another corner, Marek Hanousek heading back Vladimir Darida's cross for Kadlec to turn in.

Wales were in danger of conceding again just moments later but Kieron Freeman blocked Lucas Hejda's ferocious shot on the line.

Kadlec again went close when he tried his luck from 30 yards but Chris Maxwell saved well to his right.

Wales at last enjoyed a good spell of their own midway through the first half with Shrewsbury's Tom Bradshaw forcing Marek Stech to save low down and Southampton forward Ryan Doble shooting across goal.

Jake Taylor then had a good effort parried before Bradshaw blasted the rebound over.

Kadlec gave further warning of his talent before the interval when he skipped past a challenge from Alfei and stung the palms of Maxwell before heading wide. Maxwell also had to be alert to grab a snapshot from Tomas Kalas.

The Czechs continued to press after the restart and Brown twice came to the Welsh side's rescue.

He first got in the way of a powerful Darida shot and then deflected a goalbound effort from Martin Nespor over after Darida had again broken clear.

Wales substitute Billy Bodin fired a long-range shot at Stech but Maxwell was tested further at the other end by a bouncing shot from Jan Chramosta.

Wales almost grabbed an equaliser from nowhere when Brown's apparently innocuous header drifted towards goal and hit the top of the bar but the Czechs held out despite Maxwell racing forward for an injury-time corner.