Czech Republic round-up: Slovan slip up

FC Slovan Liberec failed to get the win they needed to clinch the Czech title today after a 3-3 draw at home against FC Brno.

Last-gasp goal
The two dropped points have allowed second-placed FK Viktoria Zizkov to close the gap to just one point, with just one game remaining. The title challengers beat FK Jablonec 2-1, thanks to a last-gasp goal.

Long-range effort
For a long period today, it looked as if both the contenders would be beaten at home for the first time this season. Slovan went two behind early on thanks to a spectacular long-range effort from Milan Pacanda and another from Libor Dosek. Jirí Štajner pulled one back just before half-time from the penalty spot but Brno's two-goal advantage was restored by Pacanda's 12th goal of the season.

Joy for Johana
However, Petr Johana was to prove an unlikely hero for Slovan. The defender struck twice in the space of three minutes to keep Slovan just in front at the top of the table.

Nervy encounter
Viktoria capitalised on the leaders' slip-up by seeing off Jablonec in a nervy encounter. The visitors took the lead though in the tenth minute through Miroslav Vodehnal and it was a long time before the hosts could battle their way back into the game. Milan Scasny scored the equaliser to set up a grandstand finish. Viktoria captain Ales Pikl shrugged off injury worries to score the winner in the second minute of injury time.

Slim hope
Third-placd AC Sparta Praha won 2-0 at CU Bohemians Praha at home but their chances of another season in the UEFA Champions League still look slim. Sparta, who scored through Tomáš Jun and Vitezslav Tuma, will need to win on the final day and hope Viktoria are defeated to steal second place.

Drobny returns
FK Drnovice ended a six-match run without a point by beating SK Hradec Králové 1-0. Jan Riegel, on loan from FC Príbram, scored the winner. But it was not enough for Drnovice to move clear of the relegation zone, because the other struggling team FK Chmel Blšany won 2-1 against 1. FC Synot thanks to David Sourada and Jan Zemlik's goals. The captain of the Czech Under-21 team, Vaclav Drobny, played his first match for Blsany after a two-month absence through injury.

Big win for Baník
The biggest winners of the day were FC Baník Ostrava who were 5-2 victors at Príbram. Libor Zurek and Martin Prohászka hit two apiece along with a solitary strike for Horst Siegl. SFC Opava played their last home match before relegation and finished up with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of FK Teplice, who are in excellent form with four wins in row. Finally, SK Sigma Olomouc played out a goalless draw at home against SK Slavia Praha.