Football United

was a decisive match for the whole season. The win meant the second place and a loss a fourth place and no European action for the next season. Coach Jarolim missed Martin Zboncak, Vaclav Kolousek and Miroslav Holenak. Michal Svec returned back to the midfield after recovering from his ankle injury. 17-year old Marek Suchy started in the centre of the defence together with Martin Latka.

The last match for Pavel Kuka
The match was the last one for Slavia forward Pavel Kuka, who ended his 21st season played in Slavia top.Kuka proved to be a very useful forward again providing several very good passes today, he belonged to the best players on the pitch. There are plans to organise a special farewell match in the autumn.

First chances in extremely hot weather
The game was played on a day which almost broke a hundered year old record of hottest weather and was extremely demanding. The first shot came from Magera from edge of the box, but Latka managed to deflect the ball to the corner. The first great chance came in the fourth minute, after the mistake of Klimpl, Vlcek ran all alone to the goal, but he ended his first solo attack of the day with a shot to Banik keeper Vasek. In the seventeenth minute Sloncik could have run to a similar counter-attack, provided that Dosek did not faul him for the cost of a booking. Two minutes later Pospech missed the ball in a good position in a close distance.

Pitak shoots to the side of the net
The visitors could have taken the lead in 22nd minute, after a good play of Vlcek, Pitak appeared in a good position, but his shot went to the side of the net. Five minutes later Pavel Besta kicked the ball away when Vlcek could get into a promising position in the 6-yard box.

Vlcek opens the score
Nobody else deserved the opening goal more than Stanislav Vlcek. His bad luck from the last matches was gone in the thirty second minute when he converted Pitak´s cross after a good play of Kuka with a heel-shot into the opening goal. "I had the ball below me, but it went in. I am very glad for it, if we had not won I would have been extremely sorry for the other chances I missed," said Vlcek after the match in a very modest tone.

Vlcek runs again towards the keeper
Three minutes before the halftime whistle Vlcek had his second chance to run through the defence to try to beat the keeper. This time defender Besta managed to make the shot uneasy for Vlcek. So Vlcek had to wait for his third solo attack to seal the win.

Excellent save of Kozacik
The second half brought two changes in Banik squad, and their pressure for the equaliser. The worst time was in the 56th minute. The series of crosses and shots ended with a great chance of Zurek whose shot from eight meters was bounced away by Kozacik. The younger keeper proved again his quality, he did not the concede a goal in fourth match in a row.

Vlcek seals the preliminary round of Champions League
Eight minutes before the end Vlcek ran through Banik defence for the third time. "I just shot as fast as possible and closed my eyes," Vlcek joked after the match. The ball went in, the important away win was sealed and Slavia can look forward to the start in the third preliminary of the most prestigious European competition.

Source: slavia.cz