Czech Republic round-up: Slavia show their strength

SK Slavia Praha took maximum advantage of AC Sparta Praha’s loss to FK Teplice on Saturday by brushing aside SK Hradec Králové 4-0 as the Czech First Division resumed after the winter break.

Sparta close
Slavia were brash from the outset and Stepán Vachousek, the league's most expensive player, headed the opener when the ball cannoned off the bar into his path in the fifth minute. Tomás Dosek struck twice from close range and Rudolf Skácel applied the gloss finish to a one-sided affair with the fourth, ensuring his team moved to within a point of Sparta at the summit.

Straka revival
Sparta, for their part, lost for the first time in nine matches, going down 1-0 to Teplice - who have now won nine out of ten since the arrival of Frantisek Straka as coach - when substitute Radek Divecký popped up late on to score against the run of play.

Profligate Poborsky
Sparta missed former captain Jirí Novotný, who has joined FC Rubin Kazan as well as the injured Vladimír Labant and the suspended Zdenek Grygera. Jirí Kotrba’s side, however, could not say they did not have the chances, new captain Karel Poborský spurning the best of them.

Kinský heroics
Jan Nezmar and Ivan Hodúr were the scorers in FC Slovan Liberec's 2-1 victory over SK Sigma Olomouc. Patrik Siegl pulled one back with penalty 20 minutes from time but goalkeeper Antonín Kinský prevented a draw with a raft of fine saves.

Ostrava rewarded
Baník Ostrava, meanwhile, were rewarded for keeping golden boy Václav Sverkos from the clutch of Sparta during the winter break, the 19-year-old striker hitting both goals in their 2-2 draw with FK Tescoma Zlín, whose goals came courtesy of Lubomír Blaha and Peter Babnic.

Narrow wins
FK Viktoria Zizkov sneaked past FK Chmel Blšany 1-0 thanks to Roman Janousek’s first-half penalty and FC Synot beat FK Jablonec 97 by the same score, Václav Cincala hitting the crucial goal. 1. FC Brno drew 1-1 with Marila Príbram, Jaroslav Schindler cancelling out Milan Pacanda’s strike in the last minute.

Debutant bonanza
In Sunday’s remaining game, CU Bohemians Praha earned a point in a thrilling 3-3 away draw with SK Ceské Budejovice. Newcomers Ales Bednár, Jan Rajnoch and Michal Polodna were all on the scoresheet for the visitors.