Another league loss for Sparta. Letenský couldn’t handle the hit of the 13th round of the Chance League, they lost 0:1 in Pilsen. Prince Adu scored the only goal of the match in the 30th minute. The visitors got the first shot on goal only in the set time, when Victor Olatunji threatened from an angle. However, he did not avert the third league defeat from the last four duels. Sparta dropped to third place and is already nine points behind the leader Slavia, Viktoria moved to the second place, two points ahead of Sunday’s opponent.
In the league with Sparta, Pilsen scored for the fourth time out of the last five matches, of which they won three times. Viktoria confirmed the current form and won the third round in a row. Letenský, on the other hand, lost three of the last four league matches and completed an unsuccessful week. On Wednesday, they suffered a 0-5 debacle against City in the Champions League in Manchester.
Midfielder Červ returned to the Pilsen starting line-up after serving his suspension. Sparta was missing its best scorer in the top league season with four goals, Haraslín, who was injured in Manchester. In his place, Daněk got a chance, and Sadílek, somewhat surprisingly, replaced Laci in the reserve. Sörensen started only on the bench.
The West Bohemians were more active throughout the first half, they combined better and the guests were only lucky to survive a few jams in the beginning. Nevertheless, Letenští had the first bigger chances, but Ryneš hit the ball from a promising position from a volley high above in the 25th minute.
The home team opened the scoring after half an hour of play. Šulc passed to Adu in the box, who cleverly got free behind the defenders with the first touch and sent the ball to the back post with a ground shot in front of goalkeeper Vindahl. The Ghanaian summer signing confirmed his form at the time, followed up with two goals in a 3:1 victory in the last round in Ostrava, and overall scored his fifth competitive goal for Viktoria.
Five minutes after the change of sides, after a mistake in the Spartans’ play, Šulc stretched out from behind the goal and Vindahl struggled to save his successful attempt. The Danish coach of Prague, Friis, made three substitutions after an hour of play and sent fresh Olatunji, Laci and Sörensen onto the pitch.
Pilsen coach Koubek, who in the past caught for Sparta and was an assistant there, reacted by bringing Jirka instead of Adu, and the Slovak offensive all-rounder was able to score an insurance hit right away. At the beginning of the 70th minute, after Šulc’s tap-in, he headed from the right just to the outside of the post.
At times, the people of Prague were completely at a loss, as if the nervousness of another possible loss in the fight for the title started creeping into their game more and more. It wasn’t until the 89th minute that Letenští got an ideal chance to equalize after a foul by Jemelka just behind the goal, but the substitute Laci only hit the wall from a promising position. In the set-up, home goalkeeper Jedliček saved Olatunji’s spot-kick from an angle and celebrated his 50th league start with a clean sheet.
At home in the top competition, Plzeň scored against Sparta for the fifteenth time out of the last 16 matches and partially avenged the May defeat in Štruncový sady in the cup final. The West Bohemians also cheered up after Thursday’s unlucky 2:2 draw in the Europa League with PAOK in Thessaloniki, where they lost a two-goal lead at the very end.
Team goals
Home: Jedlička – Dweh, Marković, Jemelka – M. Havel, Červ (90+2. Hejda), Kalvach (C), Cadu (82. Kopic) – M. Vydra (82. Vašulín), Šulc – Adu (67. Jirka) .
Guests: Vindahl – Vitík, Panák (C), Zelený (60. Sörensen) – Wiesner (77. Suchomel), Kairinen, Sadílek (60. Laçi), Ryneš – Daněk (85. Krasniqi), Rrahmani, Birmančević (60. Olatunji).
Substitutes
Home: Jirka, Hejda, Kopic, Mosquera, Squire, Paluska, Wiegele, Tvrdon, Vašulín, Valenta, Sojka
Guests: Cobbaut, Krasniqi, Laçi, Pavelka, Olatunji, Ross, Solbakken, Pešek, Suchomel, Sörensen, Vorel
Cards
Home: Buttercup
Guests: Kairinen, Wiesner, Suchomel
Referee
Rouček – Paták, Machač
Stadium
Doosan Arena, Pilsen
Visit
11,620 viewers
