In the 11th round of the first league, the players of Slavia won the Prague derby over Sparta 2:1 at home.
The home team led 2-0 after goals from Mojmír Chytil and Christos Zafeiris already in the 21st minute.
In a nervous ending, visiting Martin Vitík and star player Oscar Dorley received a red card.
The Red and Whites are the only ones to remain unbeaten in this season’s top flight, and before the international break they increased their lead at the top of the table over the defending champion from Leten to six points.
“The team really wanted to grab it, in some moments we even had to tame it. The start helped us, a great action by Diouf and Chytil finished it there,” praised the winners’ coach Jindřich Trpišovský in an interview for O2 TV Sport after the match.
“I think it was great football. Up and down, the goal helped, both teams helped. That’s what we want in football. Great football,” claimed Trpišovský.
While Slavia started in the expected line-up, the Danish coach of Sparta Friis initially left only Haraslín on the bench and put Krasniqi in the starting eleven. Stopper Sörensen returned to the game after a four-match absence due to health reasons.
Vršovičtí opened the scoring right from the first action. Diouf collided with Bořil, weaved his way into the goal and his cross shot from the left side at the beginning of the second minute was directed into the net by an emphatic Chytil.
The 25-year-old striker scored for the first time in the match between the Prague rivals and after 65 seconds scored the fastest goal in a derby in a separate league history.
Sparta couldn’t get up to speed at first. In the 19th minute, after Diouf’s error, the visitors advanced to the break, Krasniqi’s pass went all the way to Birmančevič, but his inconspicuous ground shot was deflected by the defense.
Moments later, the red and white increased. Zafeiris pulled the ball through the middle of the field, stretched just outside the goal and Vindahl’s attempt did not reach the post. The Greek representative also scored in the derby for the first time, and in addition celebrated his 50th start in the Czech league in style.
On the opposite side, Preciado missed from the edge of the penalty area. Another shot by Zafeiris was then deflected by Vindahl, and the home team then in vain demanded a penalty after the fight between Choré and Laci. In the 38th minute, Douděra fired wide.
After switching sides, coach Friis withdrew Olantuji and replaced Haraslín. The home team initially controlled the two-goal lead relatively easily, but conceded in the 65th minute.
During the counter-attack, Haraslín transferred the ball to the right side to the onrushing Rrahmani, and he surprised goalkeeper Kinski with a ground shot at the front post from the edge of the goal from behind the defender. The Kosovo international scored his third competitive goal for Sparta after his recent summer arrival.
Immediately, Haraslín could even equalize, but Kinský missed his technical attempt at the end of the 67th minute. The fresh national team goalkeeper then significantly supported Slavia even in the 81st minute, when he caught Birmančevič, who tried to go around him from an angle.
On the opposite side, substitute Lingr failed to make a big chance after a jam. In the third minute of regulation, Kinský tamed Rrahmani’s shot and referee Szikszay awarded Vitík a second yellow card and therefore a red card after the subsequent push.
The home player was also sent off when, after the intervention of the video referee and a review of the situation from the video, the head arbiter prematurely sent Oscar to the locker room for a header towards the opponent, which was provoked by Rrahmani.
The Red and Whites won the league derby for the first time after five matches, but at home they scored twelfth of the last 13 duels in the top competition against their old rival.
Sparta suffered a defeat in the second round in a row, last time they lost to Olomouc. Letenští lost points for the first time in the sixth away game of the league year.
Round 11 of the First Football League:
Slavia Prague – Sparta Prague 2:1 (2:0)
Goals: 2. Chhytil, 22. Zafeiris – 65. Rrahmani. Referee: Szikszay – Paták, Volf – Petřík (video). ŽK: Douděra, Chorý, Diouf, Wallem, Provod, Zmrzlý, Bořil – Ryneš, Vitík, Kairinen, Preciado, Solbakken, Vindahl, Rrahmani. CK: 90.+8 Oscar – 90.+3 Vitík. Spectators: 19,308.
Slavia: Kinský – Holeš, Zima, Bořil – Douděra (83. Wallem), Zafeiris, Oscar, Diouf (90. Frozen) – Provod, Chytil (60. Lingr) – Sick. Coach: Trpišovský.
Sparta: Vindahl – Vitík, Panák, Sörensen – Preciado, Laci (84th Solbakken), Kairine, Ryneš (74th Zelený) – Krasniqi (63rd Rrahmani), Birmančević (84th Daněk) – Olatunji (46th Haraslín). Coach: Fries.
