Slavia Prague defeated SC Dnipro-1 in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round match with a convincing 3-0 victory. The Prague team took control of the game early on, with Ivan Schranz scoring twice in the first half. Despite being reduced to 10 men after Igoh Ogbu received a red card in the 58th minute, Slavia Prague extended their lead in the 81st minute through substitute Conrad Wallem.
Slavia Prague’s coach, Jindrich Trpisovsky, made only one change to the starting lineup compared to their previous league match against Zlin. Experienced defender Masopust made his first appearance of the season, and the team reverted to a four-defender formation.
Before kick-off, the home team showed their support for Ukraine by wearing yellow jerseys, while the Dnipro players brought their national flags onto the pitch. Slavia Prague also donated 100,000 Czech koruna to children affected by the war in Ukraine.
Slavia Prague took an early lead in the 5th minute when Masopust’s low cross from the right was deflected into the net by Schranz. The Slovakian player continued his impressive form in cup competitions, having scored against both Panathinaikos and Zaglebie Lubin in last season’s European Conference League qualifiers.
Despite the poor condition of the pitch, which was patched up before the game, Slavia Prague adapted well and controlled the game. In the 38th minute, Van Buren headed a corner onto the post, and Schranz was there to tap in the rebound from close range. This marked Schranz’s first brace since July last year.
Six minutes into the second half, Slavia Prague extended their lead through Jurecka. However, despite being their top scorer in the previous league season, Jurecka is still waiting for his first goal of the current campaign as he was offside when receiving the pass.
The seemingly one-sided match took a turn when Ogbu was shown a red card in the 58th minute for a high challenge that struck an opponent in the neck. Despite being a man down, Slavia Prague remained dominant and even added another goal in the 81st minute through Wallem, who scored on his debut for the club.
With this victory, Slavia Prague secured their fourth consecutive win in all competitions this season. They also improved their record against Ukrainian opponents, having won only once in their previous five UEFA matches against Ukrainian teams, which were against Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv.
The second leg will take place in Kosice, Slovakia, due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. If Slavia Prague successfully navigate the third qualifying round, they will advance to the playoff round where they will face another Ukrainian opponent, FC Zorya Luhansk. Additionally, they will secure at least a place in the group stage of the European Conference League if they fail to progress further.
In summary, Slavia Prague’s convincing victory over SC Dnipro-1 puts them in a strong position ahead of the second leg. Despite being reduced to 10 men, they showed their dominance throughout the match and will be looking to secure their place in the next round of the Europa League.
