Only a draw with Zlín
Two goals were not enough for Sparta to win the third spring round over Zlín. Karlsson and Kozak scored, the guests leveled twice and the match ended 2-2. We played most of the match in ten after Mandjeck’s sent off.
Head coach Václav Kotal did not have Srdjan Plavšić because of minor injury from the match in Olomouc. Martin Frýdek started on the left wing. Benjamin Tetteh started from the beginning and Borek Dočkal stayed on the bench.
The guests threatened first. It was Chanturashvili, who finished inside the box after Poznar’s action. The shot was not too hard and ended in the gloves of our goalkeeper.
Zlín also had another chance, Sparta defence was opened and Fantiš went to Heča from the side. He wanted to chop, but he also chopped the goal.
Sparta had the first opportunity at the start of the ninth minute. Tetteh run to the goal and found beautifully Karlson. He should end quickly. But Zlín defenders did it hard for him then and he could not finish.
An important moment came in the 26th minute. Vindheim lost the ball and Poznar run to the goal. Mandjeck tried to catch him. The referee showed him a yellow at first, then changed his mind after consulting with VAR and sent Mandjeck off.
Still, Sparta could take the lead almost immediately. Benjamin Tetteh went alone from the middle of the field after Kanga's pass. But instead of the shot, he tried get through a goalkeeper and there was nothing of this chance.
A minute later, Sparta defensive was lucky. After the cross from the left, Poznar chopped Heča and hit the crossbar.
At the very end of the half, Kanga played corner to Tetteh, who headed but only to the places where Rakovan was ready.
At the start of the second half, Sparta let the opponent play a little. Karlsson went from the side into the box and then fired near the post. Rakovan stopped the ball with a great save.
But another break already finished with a goal! Tetteh opened space for Karlsson in the box and gave him great pass. The Swedish player got the ball to the net face to face Rakovan!
And we were still dangerous by the breaks. One of them started Kanga and then passed to Tetteh. He fired on the goal, one of Zlín players bounced the ball off.
Unfortunately, the guests levelled in the 67th minute. Jiráček crossed to Poznar in the box. He was stronger than Heča and sent the ball into the goal from an angle by the left foot. Sparta could take the lead back. Vindheim crossed, Tetteh headed and Hložek didn’t get to the ball.
We took the lead back to our side in the 88th minute. Štetina fought the ball and passed to Kanga, who crossed to Kozák. Libor headed perfectly and it was 2-1!
But even in this time, it was not the end. In the ninetieth minute, we did not defend the ball and Matejov sent it into the net.
In the end, Štetina headed after the corner but missed the goal. The same happened in the last few seconds after a free kick from the good position by Kanga. Again, we did not win. We have only a point from the match against Zlín.