Sparta finally broke their streak of five draws with a confident win over FC Dukla Praha Saturday afternoon. Josef Šural contributed two goals to the victory, making his first start of the spring since his injury. Srdjan Plavšić was the man of the match, providing the assist to Šural and scoring a goal of his own, his first in a Sparta jersey.
Josef Šural finally returned to action wearing the captain’s arm band after a toe injury saw him miss the first half of the spring campaign. Costa Nhamoinesu was also missing from the line-up, replaced by David Hovorka at center back. Bodgan Vătăjelu started at left back for an injured Martin Frýdek.
Sparta immediately broke onto the score sheet in the third minute when Srdjan Plavšić sent a fantastic ball into the center of the box to the head Josef Šural who managed to beat his defender to the ball and score to put Sparta up 1-0.
Ten minutes later Plavšić was involved in the scoring play again, this time getting the goal for himself. After beating his defender and cutting inside into the box to his right foot, he blasted a shot past the Dukla keeper and put Sparta up 2-0.
After that Sparta looked in control for most of the first half, dominating possession and creating several dangerous chances. In the 21st minute, Guélor Kanga decided to have a shot from outside the box, forcing Filip Rada to make a save. Minutes later Šural nearly got on the end of Václav Kadlec’s cross into the box, but missed just wide.
One of Dukla’s best chances came in the 25th minute when Jakub Podany got behind the Sparta defense and tried to cross the ball right in front of goal, but the cross was blocked and deflected out for a corner kick. Kanga tried another shot from distance in the 38th minute, but it went just outside the far post.
Dukla came out with lots of energy to start the second half, nearly getting a goal back in the 46th minute. David Doudera managed to get behind the Sparta defense off a long ball, but tipped the ball just outside of the post.
Another great chance for Sparta came from Vătăjelu’s free kick in the 53rd minute. The bending ball into the box nearly found the head of Štetina, but he was unable to redirect it on goal. Sparta came close in the 62nd minute when Kanga played an excellent through ball behind the Dukla defense onto the run of Tal Ben Chaim, but Rada did well to read the pass early and came out to make the stop.
Doudera nearly put Dukla on the score sheet in the 70th minute with a near post shot from close range, but Nita was there to make the stop.
With ten minutes left in the game, Šural added another goal to Sparta’s lead by finishing a loose ball off a corner kick.
The game ended 3-0 and gave Sparta their first victory in six games.
AC Sparta Praha – FK Dukla Praha 3:0 (2:0)
Goals: 3. & 80. Šural, 14. Plavšić. Bookings: Kulhánek - Holík, Bilovský, Milošević. Match officials: Pavel Julínek - Ondřej Pelikán, Zdeněk Koval. Attendance: 11123.
Sparta: Nita - Zahustel, Hovorka, Štetina, Vatajelu – Stanciu (83. Sáček), Kulhánek, Kanga, Plavšić - V. Kadlec (46. Ben Chaim), Šural (85. Lafata).
Dukla: Rada - Kušnír, Ostojić, Bezpalec, Miloševič - Bilovský – Holík (82. Doumbia), Brandner, Douděra, Podaný – Schranz (78. Duranović).
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