Coach Horňák planned to send the same line-up, which was successful last week in Opava. However, Lukáš Štetina was replaced by Costa just few minutes before the game because of health reasons.
We had the first chance of the match in the 8th minute when Hložek passed ball the Drchal. He immediately moved to Hasek, which fired from 15 meters. His left-handed attempt was aimed directly to Laštůvka.
On the other side, it was also close to the goal. Holzer sent the ball to Kuzmanović, which fired. Fortunately next to Heča's goal.
Kuzmanović had another great opportunity. In the 22nd minute sent a good twisted shot from behind the box. The ball went next to the Heča’s goal.
Then the Spartan fans prepared choreography for Josef Šural in the 23rd minute. The whole Letná, including the Baník fans, applauded in honour of our tragically died former captain.
Even when the portrait of Josef Šural was hanging in our tribune Sparta scored the first goal of the match just under our fans. Karlsson sent the ball in front of the goal and Drchal scored.
Tt could be levelled after one minute. Diop went alone to the goal. Heča took a brilliant crackdown against his shot and kept the Spartan leadership!
Another chance for us after long ball behind the defence. Drchal pushed the ball but Stronati disarmed him. The ball got to the Hložek he shot but his attempt aimed to the side net.
One more chance came in the 44th minute. After a beautiful pass from Hašek to Drchal was young forward alone in the box. He was probably fouled from behind but the he finished. Unfortunately, only to Laštůvka.
At the start of the second half Drchal got to the box but instead of passing he shot from an angle. The ball went out.
Right after that, Hložek had a great opportunity to score but was attacked from behind. The referee Královec didn’t order the penalty but after the consultation with VAR, he changed his mind. Karlsson sent the ball to the net from the spot and it was 2-0!
It could have been three goals difference in the 57th minute after cooperation of Drchal and Hložek. Drchal flipped Laštůvka from an angle and unfortunately, the ball bounced off the crossbar. Then Hašek shot but he did not get the ball behind the the wall of Baník players.
After a long time, Baník had a chance. Diop got to the shot very closely to our goal. Heča stopped his attempt. Eight minutes before the end Hložek got to the ball in the box after a corner and ended by a technical shot. The shot went just wide.
In the last minute Kanga started the break and passed to Hložek. A young Spartan went alone, he got around Laštůvka and sent the ball into an empty goal!
So Sparta finally defeated Baník 3-0 and it is third time this season!
AC Sparta Praha – FC Baník Ostrava 3-0 (1-0)
Goals: 29. Drchal, 52. Karlsson (pen), 90. Hložek. YC: Costa. Sáček, Zahustel – Bolf. Referees: Královec – Nádvorník, Hájek. Attendance: 11 423.
Sparta: Heča – Zahustel, Radaković, Costa, Hanousek – Hložek, Hašek (82. Kanga), Frýdek, Sáček, Karlsson (73. Ćivić) – Drchal (88. Chipciu).
Ostrava: Laštůvka – Pazdera (76. Bolf), Procházka, Stronati, Fleišman – Fillo, Jánoš, Jirásek, Holzer, Kuzmanović (66. Hrubý) – Diop (71. Šašinka).
