Sparta won the top competition on the Slovácko pitch following three matches. The team from Uherské Hradiště lost for the third time in a row and was the only team not to score a point in the spring part of the season. Although they still hold fourth place, they are already ten points behind Pilsen, who are third.
Spartan coach Priske made eight changes to the starting line-up compared to Thursday’s winning duel with Galatasaray Istanbul in the Europa League (4:1). Apart from goalkeeper Vindahl, only defenders Vitík and Wiesner started today. In the home team, in the absence of the backs Kadlec, Daníček and Reinberek, the versatile Kalabiška took the post of stopper.
Photo: Dalibor Glück, ČTK
From the left, Veljko Birmančevič from Sparta and Michal Trávník from Slovácko.
Before the defensive trio of the guests had time to get used to each other, Jurošek ran away from them in the sixth minute and advanced alone on Vindahl, but the Danish goalkeeper eliminated his shot. He also succeeded two minutes later in a position very similar to that of Petržela.
The first serious offensive action was enough for Sparta to take the lead. Birmančević’s free kick fell in the penalty area to Vitík, who punished the inconsistency of the home defense with a header into the counter movement of the goalkeeper Heča.
In the 20th minute, Heča “smeared” Karabč with a faulty pass, who, however, despised the luxury offer, on the other hand, following a long kick, Jurošek came through from another quick action by the home team and equalized with a shot past the running goalkeeper of Sparta.
Slovácko had a slight advantage in the rest of the first half, which lacked the final phase. In addition, with a good pressing, it made it impossible for the Praguers to pass and combine, and thus eliminated them offensively.
After the break, Sparta added significantly towards the front. In the 46th minute, Wiesner didn’t surprise Heča with a hard shot once morest the post. In the 55th minute, Karabec quickly played a set piece from their own half, a long pass was processed by Birmančevič, who sent Sparta into the lead with his seventh goal of the league season.
The conceded goal incited the home team to be more active, but Vindahl dealt with Kohútová’s shot, and the Letenské defense avoided any other signs of chances without much difficulty.
The 75th minute was crucial for the development of the duel. First, the home team demanded a penalty following the action of substitute Sinjavský, but referee Szikszay allowed the game to continue and Haraslín, who rounded off his number of league goals in the season to ten, won following a handsome individual action from the counterattack. He is one hit behind the leader Šulec from Pilsen in the Gunners table.
Slovácko tried to correct the score, but instead of chances, they had to extinguish dangerous situations following the opponent’s breaks. Sparta has lost only one of the last 22 away league matches.
22nd round of the first football league: 1. FC Slovácko – Sparta Prague 1:3 (1:1) Goals: 20. Juroška – 11. Vitík, 55. Birmančevič, 75. Haraslín. Referee: Szikszay – Hrabovský, Volf – Kocourek (video). ŽK: Trávník, Cicilia, Doski, Juroška – Vydra, Krejčí, Birmančevič, Vindahl, Sörensen, Sadílek, Ryneš, Priske (coach). Spectators: 8000 (sold out). Slovakia: Heča – Blahút, Hofmann, Kalabiška, Doski – Trávník, Havlík – Petržela (68. Sinjavskij), Kohút (68. Kim sung-pin), Juroška (81. Vecheta) – Cicilia (81 .yeast). Coach: Svědík. Sparta: Vindahl – Vitík, Vydra (46. Panák), Krejčí – Wiesner, Solbakken, Sadílek (79. Kairinen), Zelený (66. Ryneš) – Karabec (66. Haraslín), Birmančevič – Tuci (66. Olatunji). Coach: Priske.