SK Slavia Prague

It wasn’t just his two goals where he demonstrated his greatest strength. With two precise headers, he took advantage of Lukáš Provod and Christos Zafeiris’s crosses, he found his way in the penalty area and struck. After all, the main idea of ​​the implementation team of coach Jindřich Trpišovský when acquiring it was that it would transform the pressure of the stitched into goals in the opponent’s goal. That’s probably how it would work.

But it was also valid in the game. He faced and won fights, kept the balls. After the game, he talked about how he wants to work and give his all for the team. That’s exactly what he was doing.

It is the first swallow, the first significant step to gain fans. The vast majority of Eden roared at his goals and applauded him enthusiastically as he left the pitch. But some fans in Tribuna Sever observed these situations silently and without emotion. They didn’t join. For his part, Chorý did not get them and quite possibly never will because of his past, when he was an enemy of Slavia.

Jindřich Trpišovský praised Tomáš Choré. He helped us a lot. Video: Sport.cz

But he blew away much of the expectation on Wednesday. Slavia and he himself needed such a show. His arrival was accompanied by emotions and questions. Why do stitchers buy it? Do they need him? Is it worth it? Does it fit their style? And so on. And the reception during the first home match against Český Budějovice was not completely idyllic.

Only Chorý can answer, and that on the field. He knows it himself and says it publicly. He can convince with goals, work, willingness to go into every fight. If he pushes Slavia into the Champions League, it will pay off and (a bit of an exaggeration) pay off. After all, a bonus of at least 4.3 million euros (108 million crowns) is guaranteed for progressing to the last preliminary round of the Champions League. The sum for his transfer was supposed to be between 80 and 100 million crowns.

Tomáš Chorý: I like such matches. The support from the stands makes me happy, I can give the fans answers on the field. Video: Sport.cz

“I love big matches, I enjoy them,” said Chorý. He handled the most important match for Slavia in the season so far very well. More to come. Next week in the rematch in Brussels, then another in the cups, against Sparta, Pilsen. Choré’s performances will be monitored and dissected throughout the season.

The red-and-white team and the tall striker are still getting along, adapting to each other. The whole process can be scrubby and take time. At the same time, the patient will need to cut other big performances. That against Union was great, but so far the only one.

The sick man’s name has been resonating ever since the stitchers bought the lanky representative from Pilsen. His arrival caused a lot of emotions. Now the twenty-nine-year-old forward shined for the first time. Magnificently. In a hugely important match.

As in Liberec, Chorý figured in the starting line-up. In it, Filip Prebsl, who started in the midfield in the first matches of the season, moved to the stopper position. There, Christos Zafeiris got his chance.

After the initial warning from Union, when Dennis Eckert Ayensa narrowly missed Kinski’s goal in the 3rd minute, Slavia began to dictate the pace of the match. Chorý fit the main role. In the 19th minute, Lukáš Provod crossed from the left side, and the striker with the 25 on his back found the ball and knocked it into the net.

The sick man enjoyed the cheers of the stands, which then thunderously responded to the announcer’s name when announcing the shooter. But some fans in the cauldron in the north stand were silent and did not celebrate.

Slavia kicked up and dominated the pitch. Oscar shot over the goal, Prebsl into the side netting. In the 41st minute, Chorý got through after a corner kick from Zafeiris and increased the score. He scored the second goal in the red and white shirt, overall he worked very well. He won fights, kept balls.

The stitchers were in the lauf. El Hadji Malick Diouf sent a pumice stone wide in the 54th minute. In three minutes, Oscar took advantage of bad play by the guests and shot past goalkeeper Anthony Moris.

But the highlight of the so far perfect evening came in the 72nd minute, when substitute Bužek knocked the ball down the center into his own net. It was an inconvenience for the 20-year-old newcomer to the squad during his competitive debut for Slavia.

No one moved the state after that, but one more important moment happened. In the 85th minute, the visitors’ striker Mohammed Fuseini was sent off. He was first yellow fouled by Oscar, but then sent David Douděra to the ground and the referee Tobias Stieler pulled out a red card immediately.

The opening match of the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League:Slavia Prague – Union Saint-Gilloise 3:1 (2:0)Goals: 19. and 41. Chorý, 57. Oscar – 72. own Bužek. Referees: Stieler – Gittelmann, Weickenmeier – Brand (video, all German). ŽK: Provod, Oscar – Vanhoutte, Puertas, Moris, Teklab. ČK: 85. Fuseini (Union). Spectators: 18,470.Slavia: Kinský – Prebsl, Ogbu, Zima – Masopust (65. Douděra), Zafeiris (65. Bužek), Oscar, Diouf (83. Bořil) – Schranz, Provod (77. Vorlický) – Chorý (77. Caught). Coach: Trpišovský. Saint-Gilloise: Moris – Mac Allister, Machida, Leysen – Castro-Montes, Sadiki (64. Rasmussen), Vanhoutte, Puertas (79. Ait El Hadj), Teklab – Rodríguez (64. Kabangu), Eckert Ayensa (64. Fuseini). Coach: Pocognoli