Commercial presentation Updated: 04/03/2024 21:20 Released: 04/03/2024 20:05
Czech MOL Cup semi-final: SFC Opava – Sparta Prague, April 3, 2024, Opava. The players of Sparta rejoice at the goal. CTK/Ožana Jaroslav
Opava – Sparta’s football players won 2:0 on the field of the second league Opava and advanced to the final of the domestic cup for the third time in a row. The difference goal was scored by Jan Kuchta at the end of the opening act, and substitute Victor Olatunji added the insurance after the change of sides. Prague will compete for the trophy with either Pilsen or Zlín, whose match is scheduled for April 24.
The defending league champions also won the fourth away game in this MOL Cup season. First, they dealt with the second division Lišná and then with city rivals Bohemians 1905 and Slavia. Letenští will aim for a record eighth cup triumph in their separate history, thereby breaking away from Slavia. In the past two seasons, they were not good enough for Slovácko and especially for the Vrsovice team. Sparta last won the double for winning the league and the domestic cup in 2014.
The favored guests started in almost the strongest possible line-up, in the goal, as in all matches of the home cup so far this season, Vorel got priority over number one Vindahl. Captain Krejčí spent the entire duel on the bench, the team’s best scorer in the competition year Haraslín intervened in the game from the 68th minute.
According to assumptions, the people of Prague had territorial and game superiority from the beginning. They managed to score for the first time in the 21st minute, but the head referee Hocek canceled Kucht’s goal after the intervention of the video referee and after watching the replays due to Sadílk’s previous foul. It also threatened Opava a few times, but did not directly threaten Vorla.
Letenští took the lead at the end of the half, when Kuchta made use of Ryneš’s cross with a close header against goalie Richter’s counter move. After the change of sides, the picture of the game did not change, in the 71st minute the Spartan Tuci narrowly missed the goal. Shortly after, a few seconds after his arrival on the pitch, substitute Yahaya almost equalized after a misunderstanding between stoppers Vitík and Zelený, but hit the post.
In the 81st minute, Sparta added insurance. Tuci’s long kick found Olatunji who beat the onrushing Richter. The Nigerian striker was among the top scorers for the first time since the end of February, when he contributed two goals in the quarter-final turnaround against Slavia from 0:2 to 3:2 after extra time.
Coaches’ votes after the game:
Miloslav Brožek (Opava): “We focused on being able to resist Sparta. We created chances and tormented them in the expected promotion through the second division. I think we fulfilled everything we said. Thanks to that, we could dream of maybe they could have made it to extra time. But I also know that Sparta could easily have given us several goals already in the first half and it could have been over. Although Sparta was constantly dangerous, we could have easily equalized at 1:1 if Yahaya had not only hit the post. It is necessary to thank the players. We gave one of the best performances under my leadership. We played a great game in the second division and proved to ourselves that we can compete with anyone.”
Brian Priske (Sparta): “It was another tough cup match, as it always is in this competition. It’s never easy away from home, even though we played a second-division team. Opava deserves a lot of respect for reaching the semi-finals. It wasn’t easy at all, even though we had a lot percentage of possession. It’s always difficult when you have to overcome the opponent in a deep block. To shake up their block, we should have scored early, but we didn’t. Nevertheless, we played a game in which we deserved to win. Sparta is the third in a row ourselves in the cup final and we will do everything to make it this time.”
The semi-finals of the Czech football cup MOL Cup:
Opava – Sparta Prague 0:2 (0:1)
Goals: 44. Kuchta, 81. Olatunji. Referee: Hocek – Váňa, Šimáček – Klíma (video). ŽK: Hýbl, Janoščín, Omale – Haraslín, Zelený. Viewers: 6583.
Opava: Richter – Helebrand, Janoščín, Srubek, Hýbl (87. Kadlec) – Omale, Rezek (82. Haitl) – Kopečný, Málek (73. Blecha), Ondráček (73. Yahaya) – Rataj (82. Přichystal). Coach: Brozek.
Sparta: Vorel – Vitík, Panák, Zelený – Preciado (72. Wiesner), Sadílek, Solbakken (72. Kairinen), Ryneš – Tuci (82. Ševčík), Birmančevič (68. Haraslín) – Kuchta (68. Olatunji). Coach: Priske.
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