It was a modest record for a player as magnificent as Lionel Messi: three games, two final defeats, one red card, no goals.
But the Barcelona great's Copa America performances against Chile prior to Monday's curtain-raising clash were not entirely out of keeping with the rest of his Argentina career.
There have been moments of magic, of course, but just 15 goals across 46 Copa America and World Cup appearances ahead of this game. Meanwhile, not since 2007-08 has Messi fallen short of averaging a goal every two games for Barca, let alone one every three.
Even Messi himself could not reasonably argue his international displays have come close to the standard set at club level.
And while World Cup failures will always remain at the forefront of any such discussion – his achievements in contrast to Diego Maradona's one-man show in 1986 – the Copa America has provided its fair share of pain.
The final defeats to Chile in 2015 and 2016 were among three for Messi and four for Argentina since their 14th and most recent title in 1993.
Those two in consecutive years both came courtesy of penalty shoot-outs. Messi scored his spot-kick in the first match but missed the following year, setting his side on their way to another sore setback.
It was fitting then, it seemed, that this latest campaign – surely one of Messi's last – would start against Chile and initially start in much more encouraging fashion.
Neymar had set the standard against Venezuela the previous day.
In front of empty, hushed stands that make it impossible to ignore the influence of politics in football – a popular topic of debate in 2021 – the pace was ponderous until the world's most expensive footballer got to work.
Neymar scored one and created another in a 3-0 Brazil win. Along with five shots, he created seven chances – the most of any Selecao player in a Copa America match since his debut.
It took 33 minutes, in which the absence of an atmosphere again jarred, but Messi rose to that challenge when presented with a free-kick in a central position, dipped over the wall and beyond the grasp of Claudio Bravo.
That was one of seven Messi shots and he played four key passes, too. On paper, this ranked alongside Neymar's efforts.
By full-time, though, it was a frustratingly familiar tale, as the supporting cast proved unable to suitably assist their superstar.
Messi's excellence has excused a whole generation of Argentina internationals, absolved of blame because their great number 10 should have been able to win major tournaments alone.
Too many hugely talented players have misfired on the big stage; Lionel Scaloni sent out some past and present examples.
Lautaro Martinez is supposed to be the face of a young, new team. He had 11 goals in 23 prior internationals and should have added to that tally more than once in Rio de Janeiro.
The Inter forward failed to hit the target with any of his three attempts and optimistically appealed for a foul following two of them when he inexplicably missed from point-blank range.
And Martinez's frustration unfortunately came to the fore after 62 minutes when he lunged into an awful challenge on Charles Aranguiz under the nose of the referee and escaped with a booking.
The 23-year-old's evening might have ended early with a red card. Instead, it was cut short by the introduction of Sergio Aguero.
Chile had equalised five minutes prior to Martinez's moment of madness, one of a series of rash attempted tackles punished as a VAR review found Nicolas Tagliafico had made contact with Arturo Vidal in the area.
Vidal took the penalty and Emiliano Martinez turned it onto the crossbar, but Eduardo Vargas was on hand to nod in his 13th Copa America goal – staying three clear of Messi and climbing into the top 10 all-time.
Aguero followed Angel Di Maria onto the pitch as Argentina sought a response. Both players were not so long ago out of the picture under Scaloni, having previously been part of the Messi-led team that repeatedly came up short.
In each Chile final, Di Maria started. Aguero was introduced from the bench in one and in the XI for the other.
As on those occasions, there were no heroics from either on Monday. Di Maria, now 33, had two shots but neither troubled Bravo. Aguero, also 33, was caught offside once.
Messi will be the story if Argentina do not deliver silverware in the coming weeks, just as he will be should they finally get over the hump.
But the same problems persist. When Messi's free-kick set the stage, it was Martinez who could not step up, underwhelming again like too many past Argentina attackers.
If this is to be the tournament in which Messi reaches his promised land, he is going to need some help.
A sublime Lionel Messi free-kick was not enough for Argentina to start the Copa America with a victory as Chile striker Eduardo Vargas salvaged a 1-1 draw.
Argentina had much the better of the first half and mercurial captain Messi put them in front with a brilliant free-kick in the Group B encounter at Estadio Nilton Santos.
Vargas came to Chile's rescue after the break, heading home the rebound after Emiliano Martinez saved Arturo Vidal's penalty.
Nicolas Gonzalez was particularly wasteful as Argentina were unable to secure what would have been a deserved victory in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.
Messi is yet to win a trophy with Argentina following back-to-back runners-up performances at the Copa America in 2015 and 2016, having also fallen short in the 2007 final against Brazil.
Giovani Lo Celso was Chile's chief tormentor in a promising start from the Albiceleste, setting up chances that Lautaro Martinez and Gonzalez were unable to take.
Gonzalez headed over the crossbar after his shot was palmed away by Claudio Bravo and the forward also failed to beat the Chile goalkeeper with a tame finish when the lively Lo Celso sent him clear with an incisive pass.
Messi produced yet another moment of magic to put Argentina in front, though, bending a brilliant free-kick into the top-right corner after 33 minutes.
An unmarked Martinez spurned a glorious chance to add a second when he scuffed a shot wide and Lionel Scaloni's side were made to pay for their profligacy when Chile levelled 12 minutes into the second half.
Vidal was awarded a spot-kick for a rash challenge from Nicolas Tagliafico after referee Wilmar Roldan checked the pitchside monitor and although the midfielder's penalty was brilliantly tipped against the crossbar by Martinez, Vargas nodded in following up.
Bravo palmed away Messi's drive 20 minutes from time and Gonzalez headed over the bar when his skipper presented him with another golden opportunity in a frustrating start for Argentina.
Spain head coach Luis Enrique and his players leapt to the defence of Alvaro Morata after he was booed in their frustrating 0-0 draw with Sweden at Euro 2020.
Morata squandered Spain's best chance of their Euro 2020 Group E opener when he fired wide with just Sweden goalkeeper Robin Olsen to beat on Monday.
Spain had dominated the match in Seville as they made 917 passes and enjoyed 85 possession, but lacked a cutting edge in attack.
Morata was even subjected to boos and whistles by a section of Spain supporters, having failed to register any of his three attempts on target before he was substituted in the 66th minute.
"He has the personality to endure it and I would more like [him] to be applauded," Luis Enrique told a post-match media conference.
"Morata is a great player who does things well in attack and defence.
"I have heard the whistles for Morata but then he was applauded off. He does a lot for the team and he is used to these situations so I do not think it will affect him."
Spain midfielders Marcos Llorente and Pedri also backed Morata, who has not scored in his last four international matches, to come good.
"Today he was not lucky in the face of goal, but he will be," Llorente said.
"I don't think the whistles are good. Anyone who was inside would like to be supported and applauded.
"We've got two group games left and the support of our fans is a great help."
Pedri added: "We can all fail, we all do. He [Morata] works a lot for the team and that can be seen on the field. He needs support. I tell people to keep trusting us, we are a great team.
"We created so many chances that I'm sure the goals are coming. I know there will now be good video analysis to see why it is we didn't score."
Luis Enrique felt the playing surface at Seville's La Cartuja stadium hampered his players in front of goal.
He said: "What we try to do is to generate scoring chances, the field was not helping much. If you haven't noticed the players have complained.
"We have generated chances, we haven't scored them."
There was more drama on day four of Euro 2020, although the pace of the tournament slowed just a little in Seville.
The Czech Republic and Slovakia claimed precious wins before attention turned to Spain and Sweden, the two presumed favourites in Group E.
But neither team had the imagination to forge a breakthrough, even if Spain were completely dominant.
That stalemate features as Stats Perform reviews the action with the best Opta data.
Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic: Schick shocks Scots from record-breaking range
Patrik Schick's brilliant brace at Hampden Park gave the Czech Republic their first win over Scotland since October 2010.
The Bayer Leverkusen striker's double was the first from a Czech player at a major tournament since Tomas Rosicky against the United States at the 2006 World Cup, while Milan Baros managed it at Euro 2004 versus Denmark.
Schick's second was particularly special, lobbing 36-year-old David Marshall – Scotland's second-oldest player at a major tournament – from 49.7 yards, the longest distance for a goal at the Euros since records began in 1980. It surpassed Torsten Frings' 38.6-yard effort for Germany against the Netherlands in 2004.
That strike took Schick to eight goals (and two assists) in his past nine international starts, but the headed opener alone might have been enough.
Scotland have now failed to score in five of their seven Euros matches and five of their past six opening matches at major tournaments. They have lost five of those six, too.
Poland 1-2 Slovakia: Same Lewy woes but new pain for Szczesny
Poland's big names endured frustrating outings in a 2-1 defeat to Slovakia that means they have now won just one of their past 10 opening matches at major tournaments.
Milan Skriniar's third goal in four appearances for Slovakia settled the Group E fixture, but Poland had been on the back foot since Wojciech Szczesny's 18th-minute own goal.
He became the first goalkeeper to put through his own net at a European Championship, while Grzegorz Krychowiak's subsequent red card made this one of only two examples of a team at the Euros scoring an own goal and having a player sent off in the same game (also Czechoslovakia versus the Netherlands in 1976).
Szczesny had been the most recent Poland player dismissed at a major tournament back in 2012.
Karol Linetty did equalise for Poland 32 seconds into the second half – the second-fastest goal after half-time, behind Marcel Coras for Romania against Germany in 1984 (21 seconds) – but another off day for Robert Lewandowski harmed their hopes of victory before Skriniar's strike.
Lewandowski has scored with just two of his 35 shots for Poland at major tournaments, failing to register a goal with any of his 17 attempts since netting against Portugal at Euro 2016.
Spain 0-0 Sweden: Luis Enrique's side luckless in Seville
Spain will wonder how they did not earn all three points against Sweden in the tournament's first goalless draw.
La Roja dominated 85 per cent of the possession, attempted 917 passes and completed 830 of them. All three figures are records since 1980.
Luis Enrique's side were frustratingly profligate and Spain have now won just one of their past six opening matches at major tournaments.
The only positive was an 11th Spanish clean sheet in their past 14 games at the Euros, with this remarkably the first time Sweden – who showed little attacking ambition – have drawn a blank in a Euros opener.
They have now failed to score in three consecutive games in the competition, though, and failed to show how they might end that run against Slovakia on Friday.
We've wondered throughout the build-up whether Spain are realistic contenders to win Euro 2020. After Monday's goalless draw with Sweden, it feels like we're no closer to an answer.
La Roja began their quest for a record fourth European Championship title in the hot evening air of Seville's La Cartuja stadium, the sparse crowd in fine voice, the players looking sharp, their early passing as crisp as Luis Enrique's brilliant white shirt.
Yet so soporific was the heat, humidity and patient midfield build-up that, come the 90th minute, you'd have forgiven every fan in the stands for nodding off.
That's not to say this was a poor performance from Spain. Rather, it was what we have come to expect over the past 15 years: authority in possession bordering on totalitarian, swarming opponents on the rare occasion the ball got away. Sweden completed two passes in the Spain half in the opening 20 minutes and ended the contest with 14.9 per cent of the ball, easily the lowest recorded figure at this tournament since at least 1980. Unfortunately for Spain, they never looked uncomfortable.
It was very similar to the goalless draw with Portugal in the warm-up game in Madrid. It also bore a likeness to a match almost exactly eight years ago, when Vicente del Bosque's side started their Confederations Cup campaign against Uruguay in which they had 92 per cent of the ball in the first nine minutes.
The difference that day was the passing had a purpose. They scored twice but should really have got more, and they only conceded through a spectacular Luis Suarez free-kick. How Luis Enrique would love to have his old Barcelona striker in this side.
These days, there is no Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso or Cesc Fabregas in midfield, no roving David Silva and David Villa in attack. It is accepted that this Spain can't do things in quite the same way as that remarkable squad that won consecutive European Championships either side of the 2010 World Cup. They're not expected to play the same way.
The problem here was that they seemed to try.
Spain completed 419 passes in the first half alone, the highest figure in the opening 45 minutes of a European Championship game since at least 1980, but conjured only three shots on target. Alvaro Morata wasted the best opening, skewing a shot wide after a rare mistake in the redoubtable Sweden rearguard.
In the second half, that shot count dropped to two on target, both of which came in injury time: a soft header from Gerard Moreno and a snapshot from Pablo Sarabia. The clearest chances fell Sweden's way, the excellent Alexander Isak miscuing a strike onto Marcos Llorente and the post, and Marcus Berg somehow scuffing wide with the goal at his mercy.
Again, this was not a horrible display of the kind produced at the 2014 World Cup, when Spain opened with a 5-1 loss to the Netherlands. Their control was practically absolute and, had Morata and Koke shown more first-half composure, the contest could have been over at half-time. As with the Portugal match, when Morata hit the bar in the final seconds, the difference between a win and a draw was slim. This is also the team that put six past Germany last November, so it's hardly the time for panic stations.
The problem is that nobody quite seemed sure what to expect from Spain before these finals, and this was hardly a convincing explanation. Even with Sergio Busquets sidelined and Sergio Ramos watching at home, the ghosts of the old guard permeated this performance – a performance dictated by tradition rather than fresh ideas.
There will be capacity crowds for the Wimbledon finals next month and around 45,000 people are set to be allowed into Wembley for the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced a four-week delay in lifting coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England to July 19 due to rising cases of the Delta variant.
However, Wimbledon and the European Championship are being treated as test events, so there is set to be a full house of 15,000 on Centre Court for the championship matches on the weekend of July 10-11.
The grass-court grand slam will be the first outdoor sporting event to have a capacity crowd since the start of the pandemic.
When the tournament, which was not staged last year due to the COVID-19 crisis, starts on June 28 it will be at 50 per cent capacity.
A statement from the All England Club said: "We are pleased to have worked closely with the government, public health bodies, and our local authority in Merton, to confirm that, as part of this next phase of pilot events, The Championships 2021 will begin on Monday 28 June with 50 per cent capacity across the Grounds, building to full capacity crowds of 15,000 on Centre Court for the finals weekend.
"This will enable us to fulfil our aspiration of staging the best Wimbledon possible within the current circumstances, with the health and safety of all those who make Wimbledon happen - our guests, competitors, members, staff, media, officials, local residents, and partners - remaining our highest priority."
Crowds for England's first two Euro 2020 group games at Wembley have been capped at 22,500, but that figure is expected to be doubled so the stadium is half full for the semi-finals and final.
The semi-finals will be staged on July 6 and 7, with the final held on July 11.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "We want to gather further evidence on how we can open up all big events safely, and for good.
"The expansion of trials of the NHS app and lateral flow testing will mean that bigger crowds will be able to attend a limited number of major sporting and cultural events early this summer as part of our events research programme.
"In the next few weeks, this means more fans enjoying the Euros and Wimbledon, and some of our biggest cultural and sports events."
Spain began Euro 2020 with a frustrating 0-0 draw against Sweden as their lack of cutting edge in attack was borne out.
Luis Enrique's side enjoyed long spells of possession - a staggering 85% - and had the best of the chances, in the Group E encounter in Seville, but could not find a winner.
Alvaro Morata was guilty of squandering Spain's best opportunity when he fired wide with just Robin Olsen to beat.
An obdurate Sweden side executed their tactical plan to stifle Spain superbly and did threaten at the other end with Alexander Isak hitting the post.
Spain initially looked to open the game from wide areas as they clocked up the passes with Sweden completing just two passes in the opposition half inside the opening 20 minutes.
A teasing cross from Koke brought Spain their first real chance as he picked out Dani Olmo only for a superb diving one-handed save from Olsen to keep out his close-range header.
Koke whistled a shot just past the post with an angled effort struck with the outside of his boot, but should have done better on the half hour when he lifted a shot over the bar from a good position.
A mistake by Marcus Danielson let Morata burst through on goal, but with Olsen rushing off his line the striker curled his shot wide while Olmo went close again from long range.
Sweden flickered into life moments before half-time when a rare foray forward saw Isak's shot bounce off the knee of Marcos Llorente and strike the post.
Spain's play lacked intensity in the second half and some trickery by the impressive Isak created a golden opportunity for Marcus Berg on the hour, but he fluffed his shot from close range.
Olmo saw a shot blocked by Danielson, but Spain were unable to rediscover their tempo and failed to really test Olsen as the game meandered to a stalemate.
Gerard Moreno could have won it with a header from fellow substitute Pablo Sarabia's clever cross inside the six-yard box, but Olsen saved instinctively with his legs.
Then at the death Sarabia failed to get a clean touch on a dangerous ball into the box with the goal at his mercy.
LeBron James will move away from his famous number 23 jersey in 2020-21 to again wear the number six, as he did with the Miami Heat.
NBA great James has long been synonymous with the number 23, wearing the jersey in two spells with the Cleveland Cavaliers and now with the Los Angeles Lakers.
But he was the Heat's number six between 2010 and 2014, a hugely successful stretch.
James was a two-time champion, two-time MVP and two-time Finals MVP in Miami, averaging 26.9 points per game over this period – second only to Kevin Durant (29.0).
Notably, James will also wear six for the 'Tune Squad' in upcoming film 'Space Jam: A New Legacy'.
The 36-year-old reportedly intended to change shirts when Anthony Davis – 23 with the New Orleans Pelicans – moved to the team in 2019 but ran into complications. Davis is set to keep his new three jersey.
James was restricted to 45 games – the fewest of his career – in 2020-21 due to injury, while Davis played only 36 games in another career low.
Former Heat superstar James has ruled himself out of the Tokyo Olympics, preferring instead to promote his film after a gruelling season.
Danielle Hunter has reportedly secured favourable new terms with the Minnesota Vikings ahead of attending for mandatory minicamp this week.
NFL Network, having earlier revealed Hunter would report on Tuesday despite his desire for a better deal, outlined the agreement on Monday.
Hunter, who missed the entirety of the 2020 season following neck surgery, will receive $5.6million of the money owed to him in the coming season as a signing bonus.
Crucially, there is then an $18m roster bonus in 2022, meaning the Vikings would have a big call to make, potentially paying $20m to keep him on the team next year.
On the evidence of the past season, though, it might be a price worth paying.
Minnesota gave up 393.3 yards per game in 2020, ranking 27th in the NFL. They had been 14th with 341.6 opponent yards per game the previous year when Hunter started all 16 games.
That was the second consecutive season in which Hunter had 14.5 sacks – tied-fourth in the league – while he also had a career-high 22 quarterback hits.
Hunter pressured the passer 95 times, including 88 from the edge – the third-most in that position.
Ifeadi Odenigbo underwhelmed in Hunter's place in 2020, with 3.5 sacks, 15 QB hits and 40 pressures (31 from the edge).
Milan Skriniar's superb second-half strike gave Slovakia a surprise win to start their Euro 2020 campaign as they overcame 10-man Poland 2-1 in St Petersburg.
Seen as the likely whipping boys of Group E, Slovakia were out of the blocks significantly quicker than Poland and took the lead thanks to great work from Robert Mak that led to Wojciech Szczesny becoming the first goalkeeper to score an own goal at a European Championship.
Poland levelled soon after half-time through Karol Linetty, but the game turned on the dismissal of midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak.
Slovakia made the most of their extra man as Skriniar, who did an excellent job keeping Robert Lewandowski quiet, had a decisive impact at the other end with a fine 69th-minute effort.
Ondrej Duda hit the side-netting with the game's first half-chance before Mak produced the opener out of nothing with a wonderful individual run.
With the ball on the left-hand side with Kamil Jozwiak and Bartosz Bereszynski for company, Mak nutmegged the latter and surged into the box before seeing his shot bounce off the post and then Szczesny and into the net.
Juraj Kucka bent an effort narrowly over the bar from long range as Slovakia continued to look the more composed in front of goal, with Krychowiak's ambitious effort the best Poland could muster in the first half.
But just 32 seconds into the second half Poland were level, Linetty netting the second-fastest second-half goal scored in a European Championship game (Marcel Coras - 21 seconds for Romania v Germany in 1984) as his scuffed finish beat Martin Dubravka following impressive link-up play between Mateusz Klich and Maciej Rybus.
Poland dictated the contest thereafter until the 62nd minute when Krychowiak saw red, receiving a second yellow after pulling back Jakub Hromada.
And the 10 men were subsequently punished in style by Skriniar, who controlled Marek Hamsik's flick-on from Mak's corner before producing an unerring finish into the bottom-left corner that sealed Slovakia's second European Championship win as an independent nation.
Marko Arnautovic has apologised for his heated celebration after scoring in Austria's win against North Macedonia but has denied using a racist slur.
The 32-year-old was brought on at half-time in Sunday's Group C clash and rounded off the scoring in his side's 3-1 victory at the National Arena in Bucharest.
Arnautovic, who is of Serbian descent, appeared angry as he celebrated and had to be calmed down by captain David Alaba.
He was accused of yelling an alleged racist insult at North Macedonia players Egzon Bejtulai and Ezgjan Alioski, who both have Albanian roots.
Serbia does not recognise the independence of its former province Kosovo, and there is historic tension between Serbia and North Macedonia.
However, former Stoke City and West Ham man Arnautovic took to social media on Monday to deny allegations that he is racist.
"There were some heated words yesterday in the emotions of the game for which I would like to apologise - especially to my friends from North Macedonia and Albania," he posted on Instagram.
"I would like to say one thing very clearly: I am not a racist. I have friends in almost every country and I stand for diversity. Everyone who knows me is aware of that."
Austria's next Group C outing is against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Thursday.
Belinda Bencic got her grass-court season under way with a battling victory over qualifier Jule Niemeier in the first round of the inaugural bett1 Open.
Fifth seed Bencic came from a set down to beat 167th-ranked German Niemeier 4-6 6-4 7-5 in Berlin on Monday.
The 21-year-old Niemeier was playing her first professional match on grass and gave a great account of herself against the world number 12, who needed two hours and 12 minutes to secure her place in the second round.
Bencic secured the only breaks in the second and third set to ensure she will face Petra Martic or Asia Muhammad in round two.
Madison Keys progressed in straight sets, getting the better of Polish qualifier Magdalena Frech 6-3 6-4.
The American, a winner of two WTA singles titles on grass, struck 19 winners as she set up an encounter with top seed Aryna Sabalenka.
There were also first-round victories for Alize Cornet and Ekaterina Alexandrova earlier in the day over Amanda Anisimova and Anna Kalinskaya respectively.
Roger Federer returned to action at the Halle Open on Monday and won his first match on grass since the 2019 Wimbledon final.
Federer has endured two torrid years on the ATP Tour, missing most of 2020 due to double knee surgery.
The 20-time grand slam champion had then been limited to six matches this season heading into this week.
Having finally found some momentum at the French Open, Federer withdrew from his fourth-round match and explained: "It's important that I listen to my body and make sure I don't push myself too quickly on my road to recovery."
But the Swiss great was fit to finally step back out on a grass court for the first time since coming up short against Novak Djokovic at the All England Club.
And it was a winning return as Federer battled past Ilya Ivashka 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 in Germany.
Ivashka squandered two break point opportunities early in the opener and was quickly on the back foot after the set went to a tie-break, saving three set points but not a fourth.
Federer stayed patient in a second that stayed on serve initially, belatedly piling on the pressure to break in the final game having earlier passed up a match point at 5-4.
Fifth seed Federer was the only seed to win on Monday, however, as Sebastian Korda upset Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets and David Goffin gave Corentin Moutet a walkover.
There was a standout shock at the Queen's Club Championships, too, as talented teenager Jannik Sinner was pipped by home hopeful Jack Draper 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-2).
Draper's compatriot Cameron Norrie joined him in the last 16, battling back to beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas in three.
Tomas Soucek hailed Patrik Schick's long-range strike against Scotland as "the goal of the tournament" after the forward's double helped the Czech Republic beat Scotland 2-0 in their Euro 2020 opener.
Schick stole the show in Monday's Group D clash at Hampden Park with a towering first-half header and an incredible goal from just inside the opposition half after 52 minutes.
The second was measured at 49.7 yards, making it the longest-range goal scored at the European Championship since such data was first recorded in 1980.
Euro 2020 may still be in its early stages, but Soucek does not believe team-mate Schick's sensational strike will be bettered throughout the rest of the tournament.
"It's clear we already have the goal of the tournament. No need to try to beat it," Soucek said.
Schick overtakes Torsten Frings (38.6 yards) for the longest recorded strike in the competition with what was his 13th goal in 27 appearances for the Czech Republic.
The Bayer Leverkusen man lobbed the ball over David Marshall after his side turned over possession inside their own half, leaving the backpedalling Scotland keeper red faced.
And speaking after the game, Schick confirmed he had spotted Marshall off his line earlier in the contest and decided to have a go from range.
"I knew he liked to stay very high, so when the ball came, I quickly checked where he was standing, and it was a nice goal," he told BBC Sport.
"I saw the keeper off his line. I checked already in the first half and thought maybe this situation will come."
Schick has scored eight goals in his last nine starts for the Czech Republic, with Monday's long-ranger at Hampden Park undoubtedly the pick of the pitch.
"We know he's a genius," Czech coach Jaroslav Silhavy told reporters. "He knows how to finish and that's why he's there - it was something out of this world.
"We really haven't seen a goal like that from the middle of the field for a long time."
Scotland were backed by around 12,000 spectators on home soil in what was their first major tournament game in 23 years.
The hosts had 19 shots, four of those on target, but a lack of composure and some good goalkeeping from Tomas Vaclik kept them out.
Steve Clarke does not believe that the two-goal margin of victory for the Czech Republic paints a true reflection and is eager to bounce back for Friday's clash with bitter rivals England.
"It was quite an even game. There wasn't much in it," the Scotland boss told BBC Sport. "Obviously they were a little bit more clinical with their chances.
"Losing the goal with a second-phase set-piece was disappointing and we went in at half-time on the backfoot, then the boy's hit a wonderful strike from just inside our half.
"It was a shot that got blocked that fell perfect for them. So those moments went against us. When we had our chances to get back, we didn't take them.
"At times we played some good stuff. I'll have a good think about it. We'll go back to base camp, lick our wounds for 24 hours, then get ready for the game on Friday."
Clarke is hopeful of having Kieran Tierney back from injury to face England at Wembley, with the defender proving a big loss for Scotland in their tournament opener.
Fellow defender Andy Robertson was Scotland's star performer against the Czech Republic, creating a game-high six chances, none of which his team-mates could convert.
"At the highest level, you have to take your chances," he said. "The Czech Republic did that, we didn't, and that's why we’re on the wrong end of a result.
"For the first one, we shouldn't concede. It's a good header but we've got to be a wee bit stronger and braver.
"We started the second half well and hit the bar. The boy's in his own half and it's a one in a million shot. It knocked the stuffing out of us. Going forward, we need to be more clinical."
Scotland have now lost their opening match in five of their last six appearances at a major tournament, failing to score on five occasions in that run.
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