“We were preparing for Sparta. But if you take the first or twenty-fifth player from their team, each of them has great quality,” explained Pardubice coach Jiří Saňák. “We were more focused on the Sparta game. She hasn’t backed down from the way she played under Brian Prisk.”
After leaving for the Dutch Feynoord, the successful Danish coach was replaced by his assistant and compatriot Friis. And he put together a rather surprising eleven.
After 16 months, for example, midfielder Pavelka played in the base of the league game, Daněk also trotted onto the pitch following returning from his loan spell in Pardubice. Six other natives joined them. The last time more Czechs in Sparta’s starting line-up ran was last December during a league match in Pardubice.
“We speak English or Czech. Everyone knows languages, that’s not a problem,” Sparta’s left halfback Matěj Ryneš assured.
Then and on Friday at Letná, the Dane Vindahl stood in the goal and the Nigerian bulldozer Olatunji stood at the tip. Now the Serbian ace Birmančević has joined them.
“We were surprised that he played,” Saňák mentioned. The most productive player of the last league season played at the Euro just like several of his other teammates from Letná. Changes and investigations were expected, as the European Championship and Copa América finished only five days before the start of the league.
Photo: Vlastimil Vacek, Sport.cz
Michal Surzyn from Pardubice, Veljko Birmančevič from Sparta and Dominik Mareš from Pardubice during the match of the 1st round of the Chance League
That is why Slovakian Haraslín or Colombian Preciado were not even on the bench. The Albanian Laci or the shooter Kuchta started following an hour of play. Friis himself repeated expressions like load distribution and readiness several times following the match.
“Composing a lineup is a jigsaw puzzle. You have to consider everything, get the players back in shape following returning from the national teams and think regarding how they trained there,” explained Friis.
What else was his debut?
He dressed in black, put on bright white sneakers. He did not theatrically run in the designated trainer’s zone, but rather calmly observed the events. He explained that he needed to focus like hell. And he was aware that the referees are now punishing players and coaches more severely for protests and “insubordination”.
Friis did not panic, even though his team was losing in the first half. In the game of the “Czech” Sparta, there were moments when the foreign flair and idea was quite lacking. It seemed that sometimes the Spartans relied too much on Birmančević to come up with his own ideas.
Still, the defenders worked their way to a turnaround.
Before halftime, Ryneš equalized from a good volley, Olatunji was happy following the change of sides. He got into a decent position for Pavelko, but somewhere from the penalty spot he curiously kicked the ball right into his African colleague. Pardubice goalkeeper Budinský was not entitled to a spot-kick.
Friis chose and stuck to the 3-4-3 formation that Priske had already established. After an hour, his successor came up with an unusual four-fold substitution, which was more suitable for a friendly game.
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, CTK
Olatunji and Pavelka rejoice at the leading goal.
Kosovar rookie Krasniqi hinted at interesting moments following the line-up change. He washed in two tutus, which he threw away punishingly. “I won’t blame him, but he has to learn,” Friis assessed. “You have to see how he got into the chances, which is the most difficult part of the event. And in the final, he failed the easiest thing.”
And he also mentioned: “I’m the type of coach who takes the best out of the game, but that doesn’t mean I don’t look at the negatives.”
Sparta showed strength when they were able to turn the unfriendly developing duel. She won and pushed the opponent in a lineup that was far from ideal.
“The intensity of the game is higher at Sparta, on the contrary, we are building a team,” compared Saňák from Pardubice and acknowledged: “Sparta won, they had pressure and certainly more chances. If she had scored both runs, the result looks different.”
Already on Tuesday, Sparta enters the 2nd preliminary round of the Champions League in Ireland once morest Shamrock Rovers. He will be the clear favorite in the double match. Just like Friday.
“We haven’t dealt with the match so much yet, but we know that it will be an aggressive and difficult opponent. Just like Pardubice. From that point of view, it was an ideal background check,” added Ryneš.
