We lost at the start of Europa campaign
Sparta did not enter UEFA Europa League in a successful way. The team, severely constrained by health problems, lost to Lille 1:4 when Yazici scored a hat-trick. Dočkal scored the only Sparta goal at the beginning of the second half. We played most of the match in ten men without the sent off Krejčí.
Václav Kotal had to solve many problems before the game. For example – out of 5 central defenders we have, only one, David Lischka, was fit to play. David Pavelka started for the first time since his transfer from Turkey.
It was Lille that had the first chance of the match! Ikoné and David tried to shoot in the first minute, but the first shot was stopped by Lischka and the second went wide.
After a very sharp start from the guests, the Spartans got into the match after a few minutes and were able to hold the ball in with a combination. But, there were no chances from that, on the contrary, the guests threatened with breaks.
A huge problem came in the 23rd minute, when Krejčí pulled the escaping David, and the young Spartan saw a red card.
In the 31st minute, Sáček ran with the ball and was fouled near the visitors' goal. But the free kick was sent over by Karlsson.
Five minutes later, Xeka almost gave the visitors the lead, as he tried to use the mistake in the middle of the pitch. Fortunately, the shoot ended just wide!
Sparta kept pace with his opponent for the whole first half. But, it was Yazici, who shot from the distance in 45th minute and gave Heča no chance!
Right after the break, however, a equalizer came! Hložek, who came into the game at the half time, passed the ball to Dočkal and he sent it beautifully to the net!
Few minutes later, Lille did not return the ball after injury of Pavelka and attacked the open defense instead. But David failed in front of the exposed goal.
After an hour of play, however, the guests scored. Bradarić finded the head of Yazici, and he was precise from the right side.
Moments later, Ikoné escaped the our defense, went alone to the goal and overcame Heča with an accurate shot.
The home team was tired and it was practically one-sided game. Quarter hours before the end, Hanousek lost the ball unnecessarily and Yazici scored easily his third goal in the match.
Sparta's youngsters showed up in the 81st minute. Karabec found Polidar with a beautiful curve over the penalty area, Polidar fired from the volley, but Maignan caught the ball.
Nothing more happened, so we lost the first match of UEL 1:4.