Every tournament has a 'Group of Death' these days, as abysmally inevitable to the build-up as disagreements in Russian training camps and English bars.

Euro 2004 Group D's claims for the mantle always seemed dubious - and believers were surely dissatisfied by the quality of Tuesday's opening games - but any disappointment was allayed by the satisfaction of seeing negative tactics punished in both.

The Czech Republic entered the tournament as everybody's dark horses, a peculiar burden for any team but one they seemed capable of shouldering in the opening exchanges.

Only misfortune and the outstanding form of Latvian goalkeeper Alex Kolinko kept the Czechs at bay in the first 20 minutes with Pavel Nedved and Karel Poborsky proving too quick in feet and mind for a bewildered defence.

The underdogs defended with greater solidity as the game progressed and claimed an undeserved lead on the stroke of half-time but Czech coach Karel Bruckner showed admirable courage in the second period.

With three strikers and an attacking midfield trident probing across the Latvia back line, Bruckner discovered that his opponents lacked the experience and tactical acumen to withstand his chaotic pressure.

In particular, Aleksandrs Starkovs' decision to replace Andrejs Prohorenkovs – a relentless battering ram for Bruckner's opposite number – was a cowardly and costly one.

The Maccabi Tel-Aviv forward had offered welcome relief to his defence by intelligently retaining possession while his pace and power posed a threat on the break; indeed, a trademark run nearly ended in a decisive second goal on 69 minutes.

But that curling, right-foot effort proved his last contribution as Starkovs introduced Juris Laizans, a defensive midfielder, in place of the bruising Prohorenkovs

Latvia conceded within seconds and, having previously been hoping to see resolve triumph over disorganisation, defeat was all but inevitable for the naïve newcomers.

Later in the evening, Germany and Holland did little to suggest they can do justice to two of Europe's proudest records.

Much will be made of the folly of writing off the Germans but, though they boasted typical organisation, Rudi Voller's side lacked the ambition and mental will associated with their predecessors.

If their midfield industry deserved the first-half lead through Torsten Frings' fortuitous free-kick, they did not merit victory after an indifferent second period against opponents at their mercy.

Holland's aerial bombardment may have been unattractive, belated and unforgivably un-Dutch but it produced a goal threat. Moreover, the Oranje desperately sought a second after Ruud van Nistelrooy's equaliser.

Voller instead followed Starkovs' example, replacing the lively Kevin Kuranyi - conspicuously isolated in a tentative tactical set-up - with Fredi Bobic rather than partnering the strikers in an attempt to cement victory.

Only Bastian Schweinsteiger's teenage exuberance lifted the German effort and their post-match claims to deserving victory were disingenuous - they could easily have conceded a second goal late on while goalkeeper Oliver Kahn was considerably busier than counterpart Edwin van der Sar.

The "Group of Death" it is not - Latvia lack quality both on the field and in the dugout while none of their rivals look tournament winners on the evidence of day four.

But it was refreshing to see cynicism punished by lost points, a trend that will hopefully continue as the stakes rise in the second set of group fixtures.