Less than a week after being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Conference League against Fiorentina, Viktoria Plzeň accomplished an important task. At home, they easily trampled Zlín 3:0 and slipped into the final of the MOL Cup, where they will challenge Sparta. The match had a European stamp for West Bohemia – it almost certainly secured participation in the summer 3rd preliminary round of the Europa League, from where it is very close to the main autumn phase on the international stage.
Pilsen will face last year’s competition finalist and league table leader Sparta Prague in the battle for the winning trophy, the game will be played on Wednesday, May 22 from 6:00 p.m. The West Bohemians, as the worst placed team in the cup coefficient for the last five years, will host the final at their stadium.
Any drama was over at Doosan Arena before the crowd took their seats in the stands. Cheick Souaré already found Tomáš Choré with a precise cross in the 6th minute and the Pilsen striker sent the favorite into the lead. From that moment it was practically over, the “cobblers” couldn’t do anything against a concentrated opponent. They got three “pieces”, got on the bus and headed for the long haul home.
“The goal was to make it to the quarterfinals, we didn’t think about anything else. We concentrated enough. When such a goal is achieved, it’s a feeling of joy and let’s give it some relief,” said the satisfied coach of Pilsen, Miroslav Koubek, who will experience the first domestic cup final in his career.
The success with Zlín catapulted Plzeň to an attractive end of the season against Sparta, the finalist of the last two years and the current leader of the FORTUNA:LIGA. The place and date of the match are given: again the West Bohemian Doosan Arena, the exact date was specified by the organizers from Strahov soon after the Wednesday semi-final. Pilsen will play Sparta for the trophy on Wednesday, May 22. Before the final round of the superstructure, where the same teams will meet again, just in Prague at Letná.
“I am happy that we reached the finals, in the season and the quarter-finals of the Conference League, we are in third place in the league and we are rebuilding the team, new players are adapting to us here. This year is very interesting, it brought unexpected things. The final is a beautiful thing, but only the winners count in history,” smiled Koubek mischievously.
Viktoria was extremely focused on the home match against Zlín. She knew that this was one of the most important matches of the peak season. She did not allow any resistance with quick goals and pleased her fans. Lukáš Červ scored for the first time in Viktoria’s jersey after a beautiful solo and a precise finish, Tomáš Chorý closed the game again for a 3:0 score.
“I have nothing to evaluate, there was practically nothing from our side. We came to participate in the semi-finals of the MOL Cup, I don’t understand that. Pilsen was clearly better from the first minute, we didn’t cope with their speed, we weren’t aggressive enough, we didn’t access their players and they were far from each other,” Zlín coach Bronislav Červenka was angry after the easy elimination.
As a finalist of the cup and practically certain bronze medalist of the league, Plzeň will very likely get a ticket to the summer qualification in the 3rd preliminary round of the European League. When Viktoria also secures third place in the domestic competition, the result of the final does not matter and the club will go to fight for the second European competition. If he is eliminated from the 3rd preliminary round, he will have the possibility of correction in the play-off for the Conference League.
Participation in the cups is one of the key goals of the entire Pilsen organization. From the point of view of the sports development of the rejuvenated staff and especially because of the generous bonuses – this year’s run in the Conference League, where Viktoria ended up in the quarter-finals at Fiorentina after 15 matches without defeat, earned almost 250 million crowns.
The team finishes a challenging but very successful season. It is very likely that he will continue under the leadership of the experienced Miroslav Koubek, who won a new contract in 1972 with his successful work in the west of Bohemia. As already reported by the Sport daily and the iSport.cz server, he has a new one-year contract on the table, all you have to do is sign it. It should be clear soon after the final game of the regular season, Plzeň ends on Sunday with Teplice.
Goals
Homemade: 6. Sick, 32. Worm, 58. Sick
Assemblies
Homemade: Jedlička – Dweh, Hranáč, Jemelka – Kopic (81. Havel), Červ, Kalvach (C), Souaré (85. Cadu) – Šulc, Mosquera (70. M. Vydra) – Chorý (85. Metsoko).
Guests: S. Dostál – Čelůstka, Simerský (C), Černín, J. Kolář – Janetzký (65. Vukadinović), Nombil (81. Didiba) – Fantiš (77. Cedidla), Slončík (65. Bužek), Načkebia – Ikugar (65 . Šanělec).
Substitutes
Homemade: Tvrdon, Hejda, Vydra, Cadu, Havel, Jirka, Metsoko
Guests: Rakovan, Cedidla, Vukadinović, Didiba, Bužek, Schánelec, Bartošák
Cards
Guests: Černín, Fantiš, Janetzký
Referee
Rouček – Caletka, Machač
Stadium
Doosan Arena, Pilsen
Visit
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