September 12/08 - Druha Liga - Vitkovice 1 Bohemians Praha 0

September 12, 2008 - Druha Liga (2nd division)
Vitkovice 1 Bohemians Praha 0
Attendance: 800 (away support about 100)
Admission: 20kc
Game rating: 5/10

Vitkovice plays its home games at 16:30 on Friday afternoons. It is a rather unusual time for a football game, but I was told historically the games started at this time because of the steel works located right beside the ground. The kick-off enabled the workers to get the game after their shift.
The ground is only about a 10-minute walk from Ostrava-Vitkovice train station, so it is quite easy to find.

Going into the game Vitkovice was in last place and had recently fired their coach. Bohemians Praha were near the top of the table, and probably expected at least a point out of the game. The hosts scored mid-way through the first half, which ended up being the only goal. In the end, they were full value for the three points. They pressed the visitors throughout the game, and held them to only a few chances. Bohemians brought around 100 supporters which was quite impressive considering the time of the game and the distance. They have one of the best away support in the Gambrinus and Druha Liga.

September 6/08 - Olomoucký kraj - I.B třída "A" (7th division) - Pivín 0 Haná Prostějov 4

September 6/08 - Olomoucký kraj - I.B třída "A" (7th division)
Pivín 0 Haná Prostějov 4

Attendance: 125
Admission: 15kc
Game rating: 5/10

I soon found myself back in the village of Pivín after a couple of weeks, but this time to watch Haná Prostějov. Going into this game, I felt that this was going to be one in which Prostějov needed to get three points. Pivín were struggling at the time near the bottom of the division. The first half was quite poor, which both teams looking out of sorts. It was a challenge for both sides to get a shot on goal. In the second half, Pivín came out the same way, but Prostějov didn't. They scored four goals in the second half, to win the game. In the end, they might have been a little fortunate to score four goals, considering how poorly they played in the first half.

September 13/08 - Olomoucký kraj - I.B třída "A" - Haná Prostějov 0 Všechovice 5

September 13/08
Olomoucký kraj - I.B třída "A" (7th division)

Haná Prostějov 0 Všechovice 5
Attendance: 50
Admission: 15kc
Game rating: 6/10

I was quite disappointed with this match considering Haná Prostějov is the club I support. Oddly enough, going into this game they hadn't won at home this season, but they play quite well on the road. The visitors today Všechovice, whom hadn't lost in 5 games to start the season, scoring 15 goals and only giving up 1. Despite the scoreline, Prostějov played quite well. They certainly didn't look out of place against one of the league leaders. The main difference was the keeper. He had an awful game for Prostějov today. It just wasn't his day, and upon reflection after the game, I thought he would be very lucky to start the next game for Prostějov. You could tell the soft goals given up really deflated the hosts. As a former keeper, I know that there are sometimes games when everything goes wrong.

Sept 6/08 - Olomoucky Kraj - 1. A Trida - Klenovice na Hane 2 Jesenec 2

September 6, 2008
Olomoucky Kraj - 1. A Trida (6th level)
Klenovice na Hane 2 Jesenec 2
Attendance: 220 (away support - 20)
Admission: 15kc
Beer: 18kc
Game rating: 9.5/10

Klenovice na Hane is a small village of around 600 located about 10km south of Prostejov. I had to take a train to a nearby village called Celcice, and then walk 2km to Klenovice na Hane. This is the second year that the hosts have been in the 1. A Trida. Previously they were in 1. B Trida, which is one level below. Jesenec are playing in their first year at this level. They are a club, from a very small village of 300, but they have a lot of ambition. I was at their ground earlier this year for a preliminiary round Czech Cup game. They are near the top of 1. A Trida, and are certainly one of the early favourites to be promoted.

The game itself was fantastic. This was what football should be all about. A thorougly exciting match, which would put to shame some of the football played in the English Premier League (for example). For Klenovice, this was obviously a game which they felt they needed to win, and certainly played that way. They took a 2-1 lead late in the game, and looked all but certain for the win. However, Jesenec scored a dramatic last second goal. In the end, the result was a little harsh for Klenovice na Hane because they dominated much of the 2nd half.

September 3rd - Czech Cup - 2nd Round - Třinec 0 Sigma Olomouc 4

September 3rd - Czech Cup - 2nd Round
Trinec 0 Sigma Olomouc 4
attendance - 907
admission - 50kc
game rating - 2.5/5

Trinec is city of 40,000 quite close to the Polish border in Eastern Czech Republic. It is most known for its huge (the largest in the Czech Republic) steel works factory. As soon as you get out of the train station you see this huge factory complex. Needless to say, you could smell the pollution. It was a 340km round-trip by train, which took 2 hours getting there, and 4 hours on the way back.

FK Trinec play in the Druha Liga (2nd division), and this year they sit just above mid-table. The club plays in quite an old, and basic looking stadium which has a capacity of around 2,000. There is a brand new stadium, with a football pitch, right beside the older stadium. However, talking to someone at the club they don't really want to play at the 'athletic' stadium. There is hope that the football stadium will be expanded at some point, but right now there is no money.

Last year, Sigma Olomouc had a disasterious Czech Cup campaign. They lost in the 2nd round to 4th division Sokol Konice on penalties. This year, they made sure not to repeat their poor performance. The visitors opened up the scoring in the 4th minute and from there on in controlled most of the game. It was a rather straight forward affair, which wasn't too interesting. Olomouc is about 20km from where I live, and I use to follow them quite closely over the past few years. Now that I live in Prostejov, I don't watch them as much. I do go to the occassional home and away game. There were only 7 Sigma Olomouc supporters at the match because it was played on a Wednesday at 17:00. Most people were either finishing school or at work. Sigma Olomouc next plays Karvina (druha liga) at 16:30 on September 24th in the Czech Cup 3rd round.

August 27 - Olomoucký kraj - 1.B třída skupina A - Radslavice 1 Haná Prostějov 2

August 27th - Radslavice 1 Haná Prostějov 2
Olomoucký kraj - 1.B třída skupina A (7th level)
Attendance - 75
Admission - 15kc
Klobasa - 35kc
Game rating - 3.5/5

Radslavice is a small village of 900 about 5km outside of Přerov. My trip to the village was easy enough with only one change on the bus (1-hour trip). On the way back it took about 2 hours because I had to take a train from Přerov to Olomouc and then back to Prostějov. I arrived about an hour before kick-off so I decided to walk around a little. Even though it was a weekday, almost no one was on the streets. I eventually found a little hospoda which had the local Zubr beer on tap.

Haná Prostějov is my local team, and I like to try to go to their games when I have the time. Going into this game they had yet to score or get a win. Last year, Haná Prostějov, had problems scoring goals, and it appears that they will have the same problem this year. It should be noted, that Haná Prostějov were promoted last season to the 7th level, which happens to be the highest level the club has ever been.

The game itself got off to a quick start thanks to two first-half goals by Haná Prostějov. Both of them were on the counter-attack. Radslavice looked quite flat in the first half, but they controlled most of the play in the second, scoring a goal around the 80th minute. The last 10 minutes the home team pressed, but couldn't find the tying goal. Overall it was a good game for Haná Prostějov as they got their first goals and first win.