Match of the first football league – final of the group for placement, return match: Slovan Liberec – FC Hradec Králové, May 26, 2023, Liberec. From left, Lubomír Tupta from Liberec, Petr Kodeš from Hradec Králové and Tomáš Polyák from Liberec.
Liberec – Liberec football players won the group for placement in the league superstructure. Although the North Bohemians lost to Hradec Králové 2:3 in the rematch of the final at home, thanks to the opening away victory 4:0, they easily defended the final seventh place in the competition. Thanks to this, they secured a bonus of one million crowns and a better commitment to the next year's domestic cup.
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Photo gallery: First Football League 2022/23
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Slovan led twice in the match thanks to Mohamed Doumbia and Lubomír Tupta, but the “Invaders” were able to equalize each time and Matej Trusa decided the match with his second goal in the 81st minute. Filip Kubala scored once for the visitors. The East Bohemians defeated Liberec in the league after 13 duels.
After the home debacle, Královéhradec changed their line-up and replaced the three stoppers with four defenders today. “Invaders” started actively, but Vašulín's header was brought to the corner by the defender Purzitidis. On the opposite side, after Prebsl's header, Gabriel almost knocked the ball into his own net, but goalkeeper Vízek managed to save.
In the 22nd minute, the home team was already in the lead. Smrž lost the ball after Mikula's cross from the left side in front of the goal and Doumbia beat Vízek with a bouncing shot to the post. The defensive midfielder from the Ivory Coast scored for the third time in the Czech league.
On the opposite side, the guests got the ball over the line, but the referee had already blown the whistle for an attacking foul. After that, Bačkovský knocked out Kučer's shot. The East Bohemians managed to equalize only seven minutes after the break. The center from the left fell from Koubek to Trus and he fired the ball under the crossbar from the small area. The Slovak offensive all-rounder scored his first goal in the Czech league.
Liberec took the lead back in just five minutes. He ended the exemplary break after passing substitute Ghali into the open goal of Tupta. The North Bohemians then had several more chances, Lexa even brushed his attempt against the crossbar. However, Slovan did not provide insurance and was penalized in the 78th minute. After Ryneš's cross, Kubala made his mark with a header and equalized the team's top scorer Vašulín with his seventh goal in the league season.
In the next three minutes, the guests even turned the tide. Kubala extended it to Trusa, who took the pass on the offside line and finished the escape accurately. The home team could have equalized, but substitute Rabušice was caught by goalkeeper Vízek. The “Invaders” won in the league in Liberec for the first time since 1994. Slovan suffered a defeat at the end of the season after the previous two great victories 4:0.
Slovan Liberec – FC Hradec Králové 2:3 (1: 0)
Goals: 22. Doumbia, 57. Tupta – 52. and 81. Trusa, 78. Kubala. Referee: Kotala – Antoníček, Mikeska – Křepský (video). ŽK: Pole – Bohemia, Ryneš, Rada. Spectators: 1758. First match: 4:0.
Liberec: Bačkovský – Plechatý, Prebsl, Purzitidis – Poleák (46. Ghali), Doumbia (55. Varfolomejev), Červ, Mikula – Frýdek (46. Lexa), Tupta (65. Kozák) – Olatunji (81. Rabušic). Coach: Kozel.
Hradec: Vízek – Gabriel, Kodeš, Čech (63rd Rada), Ryneš – Kučera, Smrž – Koubek (77th Hlaváč), Kubala, Trusa (89th Baloun) – Vašulín. Coach: Hejkal.
