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Slavia edge past Teplice

Monthly review: SK Slavia Prague will join Czech title-winners AC Sparta Praha in the UEFA Champions League.

By Ladislav Josef

SK Slavia Praha will join AC Sparta Praha in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League qualifiers after securing second place in the Czech First Division after an exciting finish.

Close race
Sparta clinched the title with five games left, but behind them Slavia only led FK Teplice on head-to-head record prior to the last round. Teplice won their final game 2-1 at Sparta on Saturday with two Emil Rilke goals, but Slavia defeated FC Baník Ostrava 2-0 away from home, Stanislav Vlcek scoring twice to take his team into the Champions League third qualifying round where they will aim to reach the group stage at the fifth attempt.

Vital result
Slavia, who only moved into second place with two fixtures remaining, appointed Karel Jarolím to replace coach Josef Csaplár nine games from the end of the season. Jarolím then masterminded the 2-0 home win against Teplice on 2 May that sparked a slump in form for the beaten team.

Cup final
Teplice enter the UEFA Cup, having improved under new coach Vlastislav Marecek from a ninth-place finish in 2003/04. They will be joined in that competition by either 1. FC Slovácko or Baník after their meeting in Tuesday's Czech Cup final. Baník ended their title defence in seventh place while Slovácko, the former 1. FC Synot, finished 12th, comfortably avoiding relegation despite a 12-point deduction after being found guilty of corruption.

Liberec slip
FC Slovan Liberec, the 2002 champions, had been considered Sparta's main rivals at the halfway stage, but in February were deducted six points for attempting to bribe a referee, and signed off in fifth position. Coach Stanislav Griga has resigned, replaced by assistant Vítězslav Lavička.

Duo down
SFC Opava were also affected by the bribery scandal, and their six-point loss meant they finished bottom by seven points behind fellow relegated side SK Dynamo Ceské Budéjovice. SIAD Most will play in the top flight for the first time after securing promotion, with a second team yet top be decided to join them.

Jun feat
Sparta's Tomáš Jun was top scorer with 14 goals, eleven of those in the autumn. Indeed, Sparta claimed 39 points from 16 games before the winter break and only 25 in the remaining 14 after Jaroslav Hrebík succeeded František Straka as coach. They lost four of their last five, with Teplice spoiling their home title celebrations.