Slovan took the lead at Letná after only 65 seconds of the game thanks to Christian Frýdek. In the 19th minute, home defender Jaroslav Zelený scored an own goal. Substitute Kryštof Daněk reduced the score in the 75th minute. The home striker Jan Kuchta did not finish the match, as he received a red card in the set-up for stepping on visiting goalkeeper Olivier Vliegen.
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Compared to the duel in Norway, Sparta started with only one change in the lineup, Mejdr replaced Wiesner on the edge of the defense. The home team conceded after 65 seconds from the opening whistle. Frýdek’s cross from the set piece unexpectedly went all the way to the back post, the ball may have been slightly tipped by Gebre Selassie. The former Prague player scored his third goal in the top flight, he also scored against Letná last November in a 1:2 league loss.
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Footballers of Slovan Liberec celebrate a 2:0 goal during the match at Sparta.Photo: Vlastimil Vacek, The law
Already in the ninth minute, the injured home winger Haraslín was replaced by Minčev. In the 19th minute, Talovjer’s sharp shot from a free kick was deflected by goalkeeper Holec for a corner, and the ball was also picked up by one of the defending Spartans in the wall.
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From the subsequent corner kick Slovan increased. Defender Letenské Zelený headed the ball unluckily on the back post in a duel, and forward Kuchta was no longer able to clear it to safety. The Spartan “cauldron” couldn’t take it anymore, which started chanting derogatory insults at the leadership of Sparta and its owner Daniel Křetínský.
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In the 28th minute, Holec took Matoušek’s shot from the goal beyond three posts. On the other side, substitute Minčev crossed into the box and visiting goalkeeper Vliegen almost knocked the ball into his own net. The third North Bohemian goal was saved by Holec after Červ’s shot. At the end of the opening act, Kuchta ran behind the Liberec defense, but he could not beat Vliegen. Moments later, Karabec headed wide.
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Imad Rondič from Slovan Liberec and Dávid Hancko from Sparta in a header fight.Photo: Vlastimil Vacek, The law
After the break, the home team significantly increased their pace and substitute Höjer’s free-kick was deflected off the crossbar by Slovan’s goalkeeper. After almost an hour of play, Liberec got into a break, but Matoušek solved it by kicking over the goal.
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In the 75th minute, Sparta reduced the score after the action of alternating players, when Daněk directed Čvančar’s shot pass into the net with a slide. The 19-year-old midfielder scored his sixth league goal and his first competitive goal for the Leten team after arriving from Olomouc in the summer.
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Immediately Vliegen distinguished himself twice. First, after Kucht’s center, he stopped Čvančar’s header from close range, and then also Zelený’s attempt from the penalty area. Kuchta again shot wide from the turn, and Hanck’s blocked shot was the same.
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In the set-up, Kuchta deliberately stepped on Vliegen in a fight for the ball and saw a yellow card. However, after consulting the video and watching replays, referee Szikszay overturned his original verdict and expelled the former Liberec player. Slovan won away in the league after nine duels.
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| First Football League Round 1: |
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| Sparta Prague – Slovan Liberec 1:2 (0:2) |
| Goals: 75. Daněk – 2. Frýdek, 19. own Zelený. Referee: Szikszay – Mokrusch, Volf – Štěrba (video). ŽK: Sadílek, Kuchta, Čvančara – Purzitidis, Vliegen, Kozel (coach). ČK: 90.+7 Kuchta (Sparta). Spectators: 13,275. |
| Sparta: Holec – Mejdr, Sörensen, Hancko, Zelený – Sadílek, Fortelný (69. Daněk) – Pešek (69. Juliš), Karabec (46. Höjer), Haraslín (9. Minčev, 60. Čvančara) – Kuchta. Coach: Priske. |
| Liberec: Vliegen – Gebre Selassie, Talovjerov, Prebsl, Mikula – Červ (68. Purzitidis), Doumbia – Matoušek (67. Mészáros), Frýdek (77. Mara), Ghali (38. Van Buren) – Rondič (77. Rabušic) . Trainer: Kozel. |
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