Slavia Prague players are not as confident in their attacking performance in away matches as they are in their home ground, Eden Arena. This lack of confidence was highlighted by goalkeeper Ales Mandous, whose outstanding save in the final moments of the game secured three points for the team.
Prior to the match in Pardubice, Slavia Prague did not win in the Europa League qualifiers against Ukrainian teams Dnipro and Luhansk, and they also drew in a domestic league match against Jablonec.
Manager Jindrich Trpisovsky expressed his concern about the team’s performance away from home. He stated that despite having the quality to perform well, the team lacks the same level of confidence in their offensive play as they do at home.
In their previous three away matches, Slavia Prague conceded the first goal each time. Trpisovsky believes that the first goal determines the course of the game, as it allows the opponent to defend more and counter-attack quickly. Open spaces are advantageous for any team. However, in this particular match, Mandous‘ save made the difference.
Mandous made a crucial save in the 87th minute, denying William Mukwelle’s header. Trpisovsky praised Mandous‘ performance, stating that he played exceptionally well despite having only one important save to make. He commended Mandous‘ ability to deal with difficult situations and his excellent footwork.
Trpisovsky also mentioned that Mandous‘ intention to help the team was evident throughout the game. The coach noted that Mandous showed more emotion on the bench during his save than when the team scored a goal. Trpisovsky expressed his satisfaction with Mandous‘ performance and acknowledged his hard work. He emphasized that the team is glad that Mandous‘ efforts paid off.
Mandous started the season on the bench, but he has played the last two league matches instead of Ondrej Kolar. Kolar was unavailable due to the birth of his son, as his wife Jana is the daughter of Slavia Prague’s chairman, Jaroslav Tvrdik.
Trpisovsky mentioned that Kolar will return to training on Monday after his personal leave. He stated that Mandous would have played regardless, as he performed well in the previous match against Karvina. However, Kolar’s return will provide more options for the team moving forward.
