Sparta show winning spirit
Friday, August 17, 2007
Article summary
AC Sparta Praha coach Sparta coach Dušan Žovinec hailed "a great win" as his side came back from 3-1 down against Maccabi Holon FC to progress.
Article body
Former quarter-finalists AC Sparta Praha were favourites to win UEFA Women's Cup first qualifying round Group A10, but it all seemed to be going wrong. Needing victory against hosts Maccabi Holon FC to progress, Sparta went 3-1 down before recovering for a 4-3 win.
Dramatic success
Having drawn with CFF Clujana with a late equaliser and beaten Cypriot team AEK Kokkinochovion 19-0 - one short of the competition record - Sparta beat the Romanian side to first place on goal difference and earned a tremendous second qualifying round test against 2006/07 semi-finalists Brøndby IF and Kolbotn IL plus ambitious Olympique Lyonnais in October. For now, though, Sparta coach Dušan Žovinec is content to bask in their dramatic success in Israel.
'Great win'
"It was a great win," Žovinec told uefa.com. "To come from 3-1 down to win such an important match was magnificent. We knew it would be a difficult game but we knew that we could win and that it would be our own mistakes which would maybe let us down and this is what happened. We made three errors in defence and let in three goals. At half-time we knew that with Clujana in front we had to change things and go for the win. The players responded and we are through to the next round. It has been a great experience here in Israel. A great tournament."
