Slavia, the defending champion, started the cup season with a 2-0 victory away at Kroměříž. Meanwhile, last year’s finalist Sparta won 1-0 against another second division team, Líšeň, after a 1-1 draw in the derby at Eden Stadium on Sunday.
Jablonec also advanced to the next round after defeating Domažlice in a penalty shootout. Ostrava secured a 2-1 victory away at Zápy in the seventh minute of added time. The leader of the third division managed to equalize even after a player was sent off in the 55th minute, but Ostrava ultimately came out on top.
In the previous round, Pardubice lost 1-0 to Velvary, and they faced them again in the third round. Pardubice took the lead in the 74th minute with a goal from Sychra, but Velvary equalized in the first minute of added time through Jakab. In the penalty shootout, Velvary had stronger nerves and won 5-4.
Teplice, not considered favorites against Vyškov, were trailing 1-0 from the 37th minute after a goal from Vintr. Their situation worsened when Krsmanović was sent off early in the second half. Despite several chances to equalize, Teplice, who currently lead the second division, couldn’t turn the game around and were eliminated.
Liberec and Mladá Boleslav have already secured their places in the next round. The remaining five matches of the third round will be played in October during the international break.
The participants of this year’s European cup qualification – Sparta, Slavia, Plzeň, Bohemians 1905, and Liberec – will also enter the MOL Cup in the third round. Liberec, who won the league’s championship group last season, had to repeat the draw for the third round due to an error that placed second division team Zbrojovka among the unseeded teams.
Overall, the third round of the MOL Cup provided some exciting matches and surprises. The cup competition continues to be a platform for smaller teams to challenge and potentially upset their higher-ranked opponents.
