The footballers of Slavia Prague drew 1:1 with Dnipro in its cup asylum in Košice in the away rematch of the 3rd preliminary round of the European League, and after the initial home victory 3:0, they advanced to the final play-off for participation in the group.
The Ukrainian national team sent Valentyn Rubchynskij into the lead at the end of the first half in the fight between the vice-champions of their countries, but in the 53rd minute Václav Jurečka equalized with his first goal of the season.
By progressing through Dnipro, Slávist got the certainty that they will play at least the group of the European Conference League. In the play-off against another Ukrainian team, Luhansk, they fight for participation in the main stage of the better European League.
Prague will start a doubleheader in a week, just like with Dnipro at home, the return match will be on the agenda in the opponent’s asylum in Lublin, Poland, on August 31.
The Red and Whites will not meet in the cup for the seventh time in a row, under current coach Jindřich Trpišovský they have always played in UEFA competitions in the fall. They last appeared in the main stage of the Europa League in the 2020/21 season.
Trpišovský made two forced changes in the lineup compared to the opening game in Eden. Stopper Ogbu, who was absent due to suspension in the first match, was replaced by Ousou, and Ševčík stepped in instead of the injured Lingro in the midfield.
In the packed Košice arena for almost six thousand spectators, the famous players had an almost home environment. In the cup asylum of Dnipro, which cannot play in its stadium due to the Russian military attack on Ukraine, over a thousand fans pushed the red and white forward.
In the beginning, the people of Prague controlled the progress and in the 23rd minute they had the first big chance. Jurečka, however, missed the goalie Kinarejkin and had to wait for his first goal of the season.
On the opposite side, four minutes later goalkeeper Kolář intervened against Pichaljonek. However, the Slavists were more active, but they did not take the lead even in the 35th minute, when after Ševčík’s tap, Van Buren’s volley attempt was saved by the home goalkeeper.
When it seemed that the red and whites would calmly finish the opening act to a goalless draw, in the first minute, Rubchynskij stretched the set-up from behind the goal and beat Kolar with a shot right at the back post. The Slavists conceded after two matches.
Less than four minutes after the change of sides, Pichaljonok could have made the double match even more dramatic, but Kolář held the guests back. Prague equalized in four minutes.
Jurečka was sent out by a vertical pass, which shot past Kinarejkin. The Spanish referees initially signaled offside, but after the intervention of the video referee, they finally recognized the goal. The top scorer of the last league season scored for the first time in this competitive year.
Zafeiris could turn the situation in favor of the favorite, but his shot against the post in the 62nd minute was deflected by the home goalkeeper. Substitute Douděra then fired a shot on the ground a short distance away. In the end, Hromada, a native of Košice, got on the pitch for the first time in the season and could even take care of a turnover in the set-up, but he ended up a short distance away from the home goal.
In the sixth competitive game of the season, the Slavists did not win for the first time, but it didn’t have to bother them too much. In the third double-header with a Ukrainian opponent in UEFA competitions, they celebrated promotion for the first time.
Rematch of the 3rd preliminary round of the European Football League in Košice:
SC Dnipro-1 – Slavia Prague 1:1 (1:0)
Goals: 45.+1 Rubchynskij – 53. Jurečka. Referee: Gil Manzano – Nevado, Nicolás – Cuadra (video, all Sp.). ŽK: Guculjak, Babenko (both Dnipro). First match: 0:3, Slavia advanced.
Dnipro: Kinarejkin – Pasič, Sarapij, Kravec (73. Svatok), Kaplijenko – Rubchynskij (77. Tanchyk), Babenko – Guculjak, Pichaljonok (73. Lednev), Gorbunov (65. Kivinda) – Filippov (65. Bill). Coach: Kučer.
Slavia: Kolář – Masopust (70. Douděra), Ousou, Holeš, Provod – Ševčík, Oscar (85. Hromada) – Schranz (70. Vlček), Zafeiris, Jurečka (85. Jurásek) – Van Buren (75. Chytil). Coach: Trpišovský.
2023-08-17 20:03:14
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