'Berec Syndrome

Week 24: FC Slovan Liberec 2 - 0 FC Zbrojovka

Following last week's optimistic, Lazarus display I feel sufficiently positive to undergo an overdue away day. With Zbrojovka travelling to North Bohemia to face the current champions, I choose to join. Unlike last time, I chose to make my own way there, not following the (away) crowd, as it were. Incorporating a brief stop off in Prague, four and a half hours is all that's required to reach Liberec by coach.

Der hall of town.

Liberec is not far from the German border, and would be considered part of the Sudetenland - and is known as Reichenberg in German. It has an industrial heritage, and the town's tourist office does not open at weekends. Thankfully, a very helpful girl in the local transport information office helped me find my way around, and provided a mini English language guide to the town. It was from 2009, but little has changed since then. I should also mention that Liberec does not make an appear in the latest edition of Lonely Planet.

There's still a few things to see and do. The centre-piece of the centre is the town hall, and the town boasts an impressive array of shopping centres. I have been told it is popular spot for tourist shoppers, and there are a noticeable number of foreign registration plates dotted around the town. The other main attraction (which I saw from some distance) is the Jested Tower, an antenna tower built atop of a mountain. It seems to be a source of local pride, and the skyline of the tower is featured on the badge of Slovan Liberec.

Slovan Liberec. I've seen them twice this season, losing both in Brno and Olomouc. The champions that struggled to rekindle their form earlier on in the season, and have now left things too late to mount a serious title charge. I was surprised to learn that they have won the league three times since the turn of the decade, and that's Sparta's dominance of the 90s heeded to an open, competitive league.

The home of the champions, Stadion U Nisy (literally Stadium near the Nisa river), has a capacity of just under ten thousand. It's sadly quite run down now, with the concrete steps crumbling. The main stand is built into the hillside, and the team dugouts are underneath the front walkway. I can't fully see the near touchline from my seat. In some ways, you are on top of the action, and there's no running track to subdue the atmosphere.

Grey skies, blue shirts.

There's not that many away fans today. I'd say maybe 50-75 in the away section, but there are a few Zbrojovka scarves mingling with the home fans. It's quite a laid back atmosphere with an older crowd than we that usually turn up in Brno.



Zbrojovka are unable to build on last week's result. A mistake-laden performance sees the away side lose 2-0. Slovan look a decent if unspectacular side, comfortable on their own turf. Both goals were well-taken by Michael Rabusic - a player signed by Liberec from Brno at the start of last season. He elected to make a point of celebrating on both occasions.

Homeward bound (via Hradec Kralove - a nice little town), and onto Banik Ostrava at home next week. A crucial, must-win tie beckons.

A Weathered Storm?

Week 23: FC Zbrojovka 2 - 0 SK Sigma Olomouc

For the second week in a row, there's a local derby. The previous week, Brno went westwards to face Jihlava. Despite comfortably winning the home fixture, Zbrojovka lost 2-0 playing against 10 men for more than 80 minutes. Somehow, Martin Dolezal, who handed Slavia a cheap victory, was back in the squad and responsible for the first goal.

Stop! Huddletime

All things change. Dolezal started this game again, however there is a new manager at the helm. Perhaps overdue, given Brno had only taken 4 points from the last possible 33. I'm also thrilled to report there was a lot better atmosphere outside the ground this week; thuggery was thankfully absent, and a very kind girl gave me a free ticket while I was buying mine. I'd actually just bought the ticket; paid for and had been printed, but the cashier kindly gave me a full refund. Maybe she was scared of scathing internet blog comments about her?

(I wouldn't; but it's certainly worth including how decent the whole situation was).

Today we face SK Sigma Olomouc. They would be my (distant) second team in the Czech league. Recently, they've had a sluggish return following the winter break, and have lost their last two game (0-3 at home to Sparta; 1-0 away to Liberec). It's unlikely they'll recover to re-enter the title race, but should at least aim for third and European qualification.

For Zbrojovka and the new manager Grmela, a derby match at home to a (relatively) out-of-form rival is quite a generous opportunity. The game is there to be won. And win they did. Very, very comfortably.

I wrote last time that Zbrojovka held the ball for long periods again FC Hradec Kralove, but lacked urgency and failed to create chances. Not the case in this game. There was a more directly approach and less emphasis on possession. Sigma, it should be said, were uninspired and were not helped by their half-time substitution being red carded midway through the second half. Zbrojovka capitalised, and our second half substitute scored a well taken goal a minute or so within entering the pitch.

Oh, and the weather was much better. Quite perplexed why only 3100 people turned up tonight, but the regulars that stayed away missed some good football.