Match of the 21st round of the first football league: Trinity Zlín – Sparta Prague, February 25, 2023, Zlín. From the left, Tomáš Čvančara from Sparta and Ladislav Krejčí Jr. from Sparta are happy about the goal.
Prague – Sparta football players won in the 21st round of the first league in Zlín 3:2. After 50 minutes, the people of Prague were leading 3-0 after two goals from Tomáš Čvančara and one from Ladislav Krejčí Jr., but “Sevci” reduced the score within five minutes after goals from Robert Hrubé and Libor Kozák from the penalty spot. However, despite the great pressure, the home team did not manage to equalize, and in the 86th minute, substitute Martin Fillo weakened them after a second yellow card.
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Photo gallery: First Football League 2022/23
Prague won in the top competition for the fourth time in a row and in the seventh of the last eight matches. In the incomplete table, they have reached second place Pilsen on points, they lose two points to the leader Slavia. However, both opponents played one less duel. Zlín, led by former Sparta coach Pavel Vrba, lost the second round in a row and remained penultimate in the table.
The favorite could not have wished for a better start. After less than two minutes of the game, Sparta played a corner kick, Vitík picked up the ball in the penalty area and captain Krejčí comfortably slotted it into the net from close range. The captain of the Prague team scored for the sixth time in the league season.
In the 12th minute, Čvančar could increase the lead of his team, whose header was pulled out of the goal area by Rakovan, and 10 minutes later he fired just past Haraslín.
Zlín was only sporadically on the offensive and Kovář did not have to deal with any serious situations in the visitors' goal during the first half. But Rakovan, on the other hand, was still on the alert.
Sparta was in complete control of the game and got the second goal in the 27th minute. Čvančara shot from behind the goal, Rakovan just knocked the ball away, the shooter himself was the first to reach the ball and hit it into the net. At the end of the first half, Kuchta could have been among the scorers, but he headed just wide.
Zlín's hint of greater courage at the beginning of the second half was again thwarted by poor defense of the standard situation. Sadílk's corner was headed by Zelený and Čvančara secured Sparta's third goal from the goal line. The under-21 international is the team's top scorer in the current year of the top competition with nine goals.
The home team got back into the game unexpectedly quickly. After the action of substitute Slončík and center Vukadinović, Hrubý brought down. Five minutes later, Kozák converted a penalty at Zeleny's hand. After that, the author of the second Zlín goal was close to equalizing after Kovář's big mistake, but the Spartan goalkeeper managed to deflect the ball heading into the net.
Zlín revived significantly, Sparta fell out of their role and had to defend themselves against the onslaught. Kovař was hot several times, but he didn't cash in the third time. The home team's pressure increased in the end even though Fillo was sent off after two yellow cards after four minutes on the field. He saw both cards within a single minute.
Balaj had a great chance, but Sparta defended the win and won the fifth of the last six league games against Zlín. She won the top competition for the fourth time in a row at the “Ševců” field.
21. round of the first football league:
Trinity Zlín – Sparta Prague 2:3 (0:2)
Goals: 54. Hrubý, 59. Kozák z pen. – 27. and 50. Čvančara, 2. Ladislav Krejčí II. Referee: Zelinka – Nádvorník, Líkař – Machálek (video). ŽK: Cedidla, Kozák, Hrubý, Fillo – Haraslín, Kuchta, Minčev. ČK: 86. Fillo. Spectators: 5112.
Lineups:
Zlín: Rakovan – Cedidla, Simerský, Procházka, Fantiš – Hlinka (82. Balaj), Didiba (46. Slončík) – Vukadinovič, Hrubý, Chanturišvili (82. Fillo) – Kozak (70. Kovinič). Coach: Vrba.
Sparta: Kovář – Vitík, Sörensen, Ladislav Krejčí II – Wiesner (88. Mejdr), Sadílek (66. Laci), Kairinen, Zelený – Čvančara (66. Minčev), Haraslín – Kitchen (79. Karabec). Coach: Priske.
