Sports News

Sparta Prague look unstoppable in the Czech football league after a crucial away win at second-placed Slavia. International goalkeeper Petr Cech is attracting the interest of some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Real Madrid and Manchester United. In ice hockey Pardubice make a remarkable comeback to keep themselves in the Extraliga play-offs final series and the Czech national team have been continuing their preparations for the upcoming World Championships in Finland.

Sports News

Sparta seem unstoppable after league win over second-placed Slavia

Slavia - Sparta, photo: CTK

On Saturday afternoon Slavia Prague played host to fierce city rivals Sparta, hoping to narrow the four-point gap dividing them at the top of the Czech football league. In the end - despite the fact Slavia had twice as many chances as the visitors - they just could not find a way past Sparta keeper Jaromir Blazek, who must surely have been man of the match. At the other end, Marek Kincl scored Sparta's first on 69 minutes with young striker Tomas Jun cementing the victory with a second 15 minutes later. As Slavia manager Miroslav Beranek said after the game, if you can count then you can see how - even with seven games left - it would be difficult if not impossible for his team to overtake Sparta. They're on 54 points, Slavia are seven behind on 47 followed by last season's champions Liberec with 39.

European glamour clubs interested in 20-year-old Czech national keeper

Czech international goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is 21 next month, could soon leave France's Rennes and make the step up to the big league. According to his agent Pavel Zika, Cech has been attracting considerable interest from such glamour clubs as Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal, whose manager Arsene Wenger has made no secret of his admiration for the Pilsen-born goalie. And one Czech who is definitely leaving France is coach Ivan Hasek - he has just announced he will leave Strasbourg at the end of this season for family reasons.

Pardubice make great comeback to stay in Extraliga play-offs final series

Pardubice - Slavia, photo: CTK

Pardubice made a remarkable recovery in their Extraliga play-offs final game against Slavia Prague on Sunday evening. Trailing 3:1 at the start of the third period, Pardubice - who led the table for months during the regular season - were a hair's breadth away from losing the series. But they fought back with goals from Ladislav Lubina and Jan Kolar to make it 3:3 at the end of regular time, before Lubina scored again to make it 4:3 in overtime. The best-of-seven series now stands at 3:2 to Slavia, with the next game at their Eden stadium on Tuesday. Remember: a win for Slavia would give them their first ever Extraliga title.

Czechs beat, draw with Switzerland ahead of hockey World Championships

The Czech international hockey team have been continuing their preparations for the upcoming World Championships in Finland with two games against Switzerland. The Czechs won the first game 4:1 and drew the second 1:1; though despite the less impressive score-line, coach Slavomir Lener said the hockey his team played in the second game was closer to what he expected of them. Lener does have one worry, however: he may not be allowed to include New York Rangers forward Petr Nedved in his squad for Finland due to the fact Nedved played for Canada in the 1994 Winter Olympics.