In ideal football conditions, Dukla welcomed the players of České Budějovice to Juliska. Both teams created great chances in the first half, but failed to convert. On the home side, Hruška was officiating and the guests were saved in the same minute by a post shot by Štěpán Šebrle. The latter did not make it until the second act when he opened the scoring of the match. Muris Mešanović followed up after five minutes. Martin Ambler added the safety at the end of his first match in the Dukla jersey. He was able to enjoy his first win immediately after his arrival.
As expected, both teams started very cautiously. The visitors started to create the first signs of chances in the sixth minute. Šigut sent a cross to Adediran, whose shot was blocked by Hašek. On the other hand, Řezníček wanted to spice up his debut in the starting line-up with a goal. On the left side, after a combination, Šebrle got to the center and exactly found the head of his teammate. The experienced attacker failed in the open chance and headed over the goal of Fendrich. From the first glance, it was clear that a lot was at stake for both teams in the match. The home side were more on the ball, but Budějovice threatened from standard situations. Šigut’s long drive into the box found Križan, but he was well covered by Vondrášek, who made it difficult for him to finish.
In the 22nd minute, Šebrle’s pass to the center was caught by Tischler and pushed out Ogiamode, who practically ran alone to the goalkeeper. He was brilliantly crossed by Hašek, who took the ball away from him with a clean slide. Dukla kept the ball more on their feet, but had a problem in the transition phase or in the final one. This resulted in frequent losses and the guests moved into quick counterattacks. In the 25th minute, both teams could score. With luck, Quadri Adediran was the first to get to the ball in the home team’s goal, who was out of nowhere in the face of goalkeeper Hrušek. The home goalkeeper made a great save. After a quick transition, Prague had a huge chance. Ullman sent the ball into the goal, it fell on the back post to Šebrle. The winger only hit the post from close range.
The excitement in the stands did not end there. Two minutes later, Trummer sent a ground pass into the goal from the left side, but Adediran could not find his way in front of Hruška and the Slovakian goalkeeper excelled again. In the 35th minute, Ogiomade sent a cross into the box from the left side, which was diverted to a corner by the defenders in front of Adediran. The guests didn’t make it out of him. Moments before the end of the half, after combining with Vondrášek on the right side, Ullman got to a ground shot. However, the shot lacked punch and Fendrich had no major problems with it. In spite of great opportunities on both sides, it was a goalless situation.
Two goals from two long drives
At the beginning of the second half, the guests threatened the goal. Adediran stamped the post from the corner. The South Bohemians continued to have more of the game. In contrast to Dukla, the construction of the game and the transition through the middle of the pitch were based on it. However, the stopper duo of Hašek and captain Peterka worked almost perfectly, clearing balls into the boundary or outside their goal. Towards the front, substitute Ambler presented himself interestingly, showing promising escapes on the left side. After a not very lively passage came a big boost for the home team. In the 59th minute, Hory’s long drive was deflected by Križan only to his feet Štěpán Šebrlewho beat goalkeeper Fendrich with a quick shot.
It wasn’t enough for the Dukel student and he immediately tried to increase the leadership of his team. Ambler won the ball on the left line and looked for a teammate with a long pass into the goal. Šebrle narrowly missed a powerful cross, and was then brought down by Fendrich. Even that did not stop the home team and in the 63rd minute Juliska could rejoice for the second time. Hora’s long drive into the penalty area was prolonged by Daniel Kozma and experienced Muris Mešanović he was not wrong in the chance presented. Adediran tried to give a quick answer. However, Hruška brilliantly reduced his shooting angle in his next opportunity and matured over him for the second time in the match.
After the first hit, the active Šebrle sent the ball into a very good area exactly on the head of Mešanović, who, however, did not beat Fendrich again. On the contrary, the guests threatened more and more. However, they did not get a dangerous header from a series of corner kicks. In the 78th minute, Hora stood up to play a standard situation. His fluffy cross was diverted by the defense of South Bohemia only to Matějko, who after his arrival on the pitch tested Fendrich’s vigilance. The Budejovice goalkeeper was well built. Dukla continued to attack more. In the 82nd minute, Ambler sent a pass to the front post from the left side to Řezniček, but the latter finished wide.
The home goalkeeper Hruška tried to keep the zero behind. One minute before the end of regular time, he jumped under the feet of the finishing Ondrášek. The people of Prague continued to control the state of the match. In regulation time, he took the floor in his first league game Martin Amblerwho used a pass from Špatenka and finished exactly in the upper right corner. After the final whistle, he could rejoice with his new teammates, because the three points remained for Juliska.
Match rating:
Petr Council
Štěpán Šebrle