22.kolo, Friday 22.2.2019, 18:00, U Nisy
Liberec2:0
(0:0)
Dukla Praha
Liberec: Nguyen - Koscelník, Mikula, Kačaraba, Hybš - Potočný (58. Malinský), Breite, Oscar, Pešek (68. Mara) - Nešický (55. Oršula) - Kozák.
Dukla Praha: Rada - Ostojič, Raspopovič, Kozma - Miloševič (74. Holík), Hanousek, Koval, Souček (60. Douděra) - Podaný, Gonzáles (66. Duranovič), Tetour.
Goals: 60. Hybš, 88. Kozák. Yellow cards: 10. Souček, 59. Ostojič, 62. Hybš, 83. Mara, 90 Holík. Referees: Pechanec - Kotalík, Pečenka.
Diváci: 2777
Diváci: 2777
Commentary
Slovan Liberec were the more active side right from the start. In the fifth minute, the blue and white got a corner, but goalkeeper Filip Rada's directed the ball away from the cluster of bodies in front of the goal. Libor Kozák got Liberec’s second chance of the opening 15 minutes, but his header was sent right to the middle of the goal, where Rada was waiting.
Some sloppy play on both sides followed and in the 20th minute, Kozák got another chance but the pass from Jakub Pešek missed him by inches.
Dukla got their first opportunity in the 35th minute. A well-placed corner kick from Gonzáles was followed by Filip Nguyen's hard but accurate shot down the right wing. Martin Koscelník was probably coming from a corner in the first half, but he fired just high and the first half ended with the game still scoreless.
Beginning 10 minutes after the start of the second half, Slovan attempted to break through but were unable. The Slovan coach decided to make some changes, and by the 60-minute mark had brought in Orsula and Malinský. That paid immediate dividends, After some renewed Slovan pressure at the hour mark, Rada forced another corner, and the home side seized their chance. After the ball was airmailed in from the left, Matěj Hybš was wide open in the penalty area and had no trouble converting the pass for the score.
Slovan kept up the pressure. In the 78th minute, Malinský was awarded a free kick. Oscar marvelously sent the ball past the Dukla defence to Libor Kozák, who quickly found and then left him alone to Malinský. The Liberec winger received the ball elegantly, but just missed the target with a boot from his left foot.
Finally, Slovan secured three points by doubling their lead just two minutes before time. After an erroneous Dukla pass, Filip Oršula got to the loose ball and found Libor Kozák in a good scoring position. The Liberec forward showed his experience and sent a ball past the helpless Dukla keeper. After that, the visitors had no time to respond.
