Czech Republic round-up: Sparta seven points clear

AC Sparta Praha extended their lead at the top of the 1. liga to seven points with a 2-0 victory in their local derby against SK Slavia Praha.

Bright start
Slavia, unbeaten in their 18 previous games, started the brighter of the two teams, but their strikers were thwarted on each occasion by the agility of Sparta goalkeeper Jaromír Blazek, playing his 200th league game. However after Tomás Dosek, Slavia's highest scorer this season with eight goals, missed an open goal and Brazilian Evander Adauto limped off with a thigh injury, Sparta pushed forward and took control.

Kincl intervention
Marek Kincl gave Sparta the lead with his 50th league goal only three minutes after coming on as a substitute. The tall striker, who has lost his place in the starting lineup this season, crowned a great performance by setting up Tomás Jun for the side's second goal - Juin converting with a magical over-head kick. The win moves Sparta seven points clear of Slavia with seven rounds of the season remaining.

Slovan comeback
Elsewhere, FC Slovan Liberec came from two goals down at SK Ceské Budéjovice to rescue a 3-3 draw, defender Petr Lukás equalising two minutes before the final whistle to send the defending champions into third place and pole position to secure a UEFA Cup place.

Missing strikers
FC Baník Ostrava, missing the league's topscorer Václav Sverkos through suspension, lost 3-1 at 1. FC Synot. Another young striker Michal Papadopulos replaced Sverkos and celebrated his 18th birthday with his first league goal, but it was only a consolation. Meanwhile FK Viktoria Zizkov, missing striker Tomás Oravec who suffered an injury while warming up before the game, lost 1-0 at FC Príbram, Jirí Adamec heading the winner.

Rilke opener
Sixth-placed FK Teplice could only manage a 1-1 home draw with struggling 1. FC Brno. The 19-year-old Emil Rilke put the hosts ahead with his first ever league goal, however Tomás Abrahám boosted the visitors' battle to beat the drop with a hard-earned equaliser.

Relegation worries
CU Bohemians Praha's relegation worries worsened with a 0-0 draw in their home game against FK Chmel Blšany, who played with ten men for almost the whole of the second half after Jan Zemlík's dismissal. Fellow strugglers FK Jablonec 97 and SK Hradec Králové also played out a goalless draw, while SK Sigma Olomouc stole a march on the other sides at the bottom with a 1-0 victory against FC Zlín, Vitezslav Tuma heading the winning goal.