This was an amazing football evening. Viktorians welcomed Sparta at the home stadium and this untraditional match in the middle of the week perfectly suited them. After goals by Hořava, Kopic and Kovařík they beat Sparta 4-0 and notched up a victory over this team with historically the highest margin.

play-offs, Wed 15th May 2019, 17:30, Doosan Arena

Plzeň: Hruška – Řezník, Hejda, Brabec, Limberský – Hořava, Hrošovský – Kopic (89. Havel), Kayamba, Kovařík (87. Pačinda) – Beauguel (78. Chorý)

Sparta: Heča – Zahustel (46. Ćivić), Plechatý, Costa, Hanousek – Karlsson (65. Tetteh), Sáček, Hašek (46. Kanga), Frýdek, Chipciu – Hložek

Goals: 23. Hořava, 43. Kovařík, 59. Kovařík, 61. Kopic, YC: Hejda, Referees: Marek – Blažej, Vlček
Attendance: 8,842.

10th minute offered the first bigger chance by Joel Kayamba who untraditionally played at the forwards’s position. After a high ball behind defence he run towards Heča from the right side but the goalkeeper run out in time and secured goalless score. 10 minutes later Heča’s rebounded ball flew to Hrošovský but his attempt was stopped by defence.

Viktoria’s fans did not have to wait long for the opening goal. After a crossed ball into the box Tomáš Hořava headed the ball behind Heča. In the last minutes before break Jan Kovařík increased the margin after Kopic’s pass into empty goal.

After break Aleš Hruška became soon busy because of Karlosson’s shot but luckily he touched the ball by his fingertips and Sparta did not score. On the other side Tomáš Hořava was close to scoring again near the penalty spot. He tried to push the ball by his head down the lawn but Heča reacted promptly and saved it.

Jan Kovařík soon scored his second goal after receiving a crossed ball from Hrošovský. Heča did not estimate running-out well and the right midfielder punished him by a goal 3-0. Right two minutes later Plzeň attacked again, the ball travelled on the left side into the box where Jan Kopic netted and equalized the score to the first spring match at Letná stadium.

In the 72th minute Kopic had an effort on goal after perfect Beauguel’s pass but Heča excelled and rebounded on corner. Plzeň amused stadium by football and Kopic appeared in another chance later, his header after Řezník’s accurate crossed ball aimed above the crossbar. However, it did not change the joy of fans from the highest win over Sparta in history.

Jan Kovařík’s Commentary

“Right after the match against Slavia we told ourselves we have to win all three remaining matches and make it as much hard to them as possible. We’ve made the first step today and we’ll see at the end of the season if this was enough,“ he says. Jan Kovařík linked by two goals to the previous match in Eden. “It‘s hard to say if I‘m in a good shooting form now. I never scored many goals so it‘s definitely nice. The best think would be if this continues on and on. I have to keep working hard and we’ll see,“ he commented on his two goals.