The football players of the Prague Sparta lost in the opening match of the 2nd preliminary round of the Champions League football on the field of Vienna Vienna 1: 2.
Ladislav Krejčí Jr. advanced for the people of Prague in the third minute, but Christoph Knasmüllner turned the score between 63 and 71 minutes. Revenge on Letná is on the agenda on Wednesday, July 28.
The Spartans, who entered the cup season as the first Czech team, are striving for the ninth promotion to the basic group of the Champions League, Rapid for the third. Both units last played the main stage in 2005/06. Since then, the Letna team have failed to qualify for the competition seven times in a row, while the “green and whites” have failed three times in a row.
The winner of the double match will at least secure participation in the main stage of the European League and in the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League will encounter the third team of the last season of the French league of Monaco. The loser will still not be sure of the autumn participation in the cups and will play with Famagusta in Cyprus in the 3rd preliminary round of the European League.
Newly, when the score from both matches is equal, the larger number of goals scored on the opponent’s field does not decide, on the contrary, it is extended.
Before the initial excavation, the moderator introduced the legendary midfielder Antonín Panenka to the area, who won two titles and three domestic cups with the Viennese in the 1980s. The 1976 European Champion received a storm of applause from the audience, and the “boiler” of Rapida subsequently called out his name. The former player of the Prague Bohemians 1905 received a jersey with the number eight in memory. Along with Panenka, the former Slovak goalkeeper of the Austrian team, Ján Novota, was also awarded.
Sparta has come to support dozens of fans who have been admitted to its sector, although UEFA is officially banning guest fans from participating in the cup preliminary rounds due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Austria, there is no capacity limit for sporting events, so the duel was watched by 19,500 spectators.
The Praguers, who play the preliminary round of the Champions League after five years, had a great start and took the lead after 140 seconds of the game. The younger tailor placed himself in the center of Captain Dočkal in the lime and overtook Strebinger with his head to the pole.
Rapid tried a quick response, but Arase didn’t mature from Nita’s angle. Krejčí senior, on the other hand, had to watch a shot from the penalty area.
In the 26th minute, Nita pulled Ljaricic’s far-reaching blow to the corner. Wiesene’s lead could have been increased by Wiesner, but Strebinger neutralized his lime finish.
After changing sides, Nita also stopped Kar’s shot from the volley. In the 63rd minute, however, Knasmüllner’s successful lob in the gallows was not enough. Eight minutes later, the Viennese native completed the turn when he ran onto Ljubicic’s passport and finished from the first to the counter-movement of Nita.
Sparta began to push forward, but did not develop a significant chance. On the contrary, the alternating Fountas stretched Nita. The Letna team lost for the first time in the eighth match with the Austrian rivals in the UEFA competitions (without the Intertoto Cup).
Introductory match of the 2nd preliminary round of the Champions League football:
Rapid Vienna – Sparta Prague 2: 1 (0: 1)
Goals: 63rd and 71st Knasmüllner – 3rd Ladislav Krejčí II. Judges: Gözübüyük – Balder, Bluemink (all Niz.). ZK: Ullmann, Wimmer, Stojkovic, Grahovac – Szczecin. Attendance: 19,500.
Rapid: Strebinger – Stojkovic, Hofmann, Wimmer, Ullmann – Petrovic (73rd Grahovac), Ljubicic – Arase (64th Fountas), Knasmüllner (87th Schick), Grüll – Kara. Coach: Kühbauer.
Sparta: Nita – Vindheim, Štetina, Hancko, Höjer – Wiesner (83. Karlsson), Dočkal (83. Karabec), Pavelka, Ladislav Krejčí II, Ladislav Krejčí I (69. Pešek) – Hložek. Coach: Willow.
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