We got off to a fantastic start against Popovice, with Míša opening the scoring in just the second minute, finishing off our second well-worked attacking move with a lovely diagonal shot into the net.
We continued to play well and were more or less in control of the game, outplaying our opponents for much of the first half. Things occasionally got a little heated after some routine fouls, but referee Klein handled everything calmly and confidently, either by showing a card or having a firm word with the players. From a footballing perspective, that was exactly what the game needed.
To give credit where it’s due, the visitors also had their moments and showed they could be dangerous, even rattling our crossbar on one occasion.
However, it was Štěpán, who was in particularly lethal goalscoring form today, who gave us some much-needed breathing space. Thanks to his two goals, we headed into the dressing room with a comfortable lead.
Perhaps a little too comfortable, as it turned out!
Right at the start of the second half, we gave away a completely unnecessary foul, and the resulting confusion allowed the visitors to pull a goal back.
From that moment on, for reasons nobody could quite understand, we started making mistake after mistake, including some absolute howlers, suddenly giving the visitors all the momentum.
Viktor had to deal with several really dangerous situations, and on one occasion the crossbar came to his rescue again. Meanwhile, Palo was giving his own players such a deserved earful that the surrounding hills were practically shaking!
There were plenty of chances at both ends, at least three clear opportunities for each side. Unfortunately, both teams seemed to have left their shooting boots at home!
In the end, the score remained unchanged, and somehow, almost unbelievably, all three points stay at home once again!