In the third league round, Pilsen’s footballers only drew in Jablonec without goals. After the opening two wins, the West Bohemian favorite stumbled for the first time in the season of the top competition, and in the incomplete standings it belongs to the third place, two points behind the leading defending champion Sparta, which remains the only 100% team.
Both teams scored one unrecognized goal each in Jablonec. The visiting Matěj Vydra’s goal was disallowed from the start due to offside, the home team Jakub Martinec’s goal at the end was disallowed due to a previous handball.
Plzeň in the highest competition with North Bohemia lost points for the first time after a series of four victories in mutual duels and could not get in the ideal mood for Thursday’s opening duel of the 3rd preliminary round of the Europa League in Košice against Ukrainian Kryvbas. After the arrival of coach Luboš Kozlo in the summer, Jablonec have not lost for the second time out of the three rounds so far and are losing three points against Viktoria.
Pilsen’s No. 1 goalkeeper Jedlička was absent due to health reasons, and substitute Tvrdonň got a chance to replace him for the first time this season. Compared to the last match with Hradec Králové, Viktoria coach Miroslav Koubek still deployed Havel for Cadu on the left side of the defense.
The first half offered a much more offensive spectacle. In the seventh minute, the home team conceded from their own corner kick, the West Bohemians advanced in two from the half-way line, and after Kopic’s pass, he beat goalkeeper Hanuš Vydra with a shot at the near post. However, the video referee at the head office in Prague’s Brumlovka, using a calibrated line, revealed that the Pilsen striker finished slightly offside.
In the 17th minute, the home team threatened for the first time. After a cross from a free kick, captain Tekijaški got to the header and Tvrdonň saved the visitors from conceding a goal with an excellent save. Almost immediately, the West Bohemians progressed to the next break, Šulc tapped Vydra, but he tricked Hanuš in a laid-out position.
Both units were particularly threatening after quick counterattacks. In the 36th minute, Martinec from Jablonec pulled the ball, in a hopeful outnumbering he decided to shoot and his attempt from the edge of the box was pulled into the corner by Tvrdoň. After that, he got to Cedidlo’s shot after a deflected ball, but his attempt was deflected off Kalvach.
After the change of sides, the game was broken up by a series of interruptions and fights, and the chances decreased significantly. The West Bohemian favorite did not do very well and only threatened more significantly in the 77th minute, when the substitute Slončík narrowly missed from the left side and did not celebrate the competitive premiere for Viktoria with a goal.
At the end of the 84th minute, after a missed corner kick, Martinec cleared the ball into the home net from close range, but even he could not rejoice at the goal, as he had previously played with his hand while jumping. The substitute players did not help Pilsen much this time, and the home side surprisingly pushed harder for victory in the end. In the set-up, substitute Nardini’s header was pulled out by Tvrdoň.
The West Bohemians in Jablonec did not lose for the fourth time in a row in the league, but the point is not enough for them. Viktoria won only one of the last six away duels in the top competition. The North Bohemians, on the other hand, did not lose at home in the league for the seventh time in a row.
Assemblies
Homemade: Hanuš – Cedidla, Tekijaški (C), Martinec – Čanturišvili, Nebyla (72. Kanakimana), Beran, Polidar – Fortelný (72. Nardini), Alégué (90. D. Souček) – Schánělec (49. Hollý).
Guests: Tvrdoň – Dweh, Hranáč, Jemelka – Kopic, Kalvach (C), Červ, M. Havel – Šulc (86. Ricardinho) – M. Vydra (71. Slončík), Vašulín (55. Metsoko).
Substitutes
Homemade: Mihelak, Kotlín, Nardini, Kanakimana, Souček, Hollý, Slávik, Velich
Guests: Wiegele, Seine, Ricardinho, Sojka, Mosquera, Panosh, Cadu, Mika, Slončík, Jirka, Tobacco
Cards
Homemade: Aries, Alégué, Martinec, Nardini
Guests: God
Referee
Všetečka – Vaňa, Hádek
Stadium
Stadium Střelnice, Jablonec nad Nisou
Visit
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