Sports News
Cross country skier Katerina Neummanova has won yet another World Cup race, her fourth in seven starts. Lukas Bauer was less fortunate in Sweden on Saturday, when instead of making for the finishing line he went the wrong way! Sparta Prague and Teplice could only manage 0:0 draws in the Czech football league at the weekend, poor preparation for their mid-week European ties. The Czech ice hockey Extraliga is hotting up as the play-offs approach, and some big stars have expressed interest in playing for the Czech Republic at the World Championships in April.
Skier Neummanova wins fourth World Cup race in seven starts
"When I came to Umea for the race I wasn't too happy at all. I had been looking forward to the cool Scandinavian weather, but it was four degrees above zero and there was water flowing everywhere. It didn't look at all like it would be a good race, and I certainly didn't imagine I'd win."
Bauer blows clear winning chance by going the wrong way!
Czech football clubs not looking good ahead of European games
Both Sparta Prague and Teplice would have hoped for better league results as they prepared for big European games this week. Sparta, who play host to holders AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, were lucky to even take a point from their home game against Pribram on Saturday; Pribram were denied a clear penalty in the first half and later hit the post during time added on. Teplice, meanwhile, drew 0:0 against Olomouc, extending their run of games without a win to nine. They play Glasgow Celtic away in the first round of their UEFA Cup tie on Thursday. Back in the Czech league, Slavia are now level on points with Sparta after beating Zlin 2:1. Both Prague clubs are trailing leaders Banik Ostrava, who have a game in hand, by six points.
Injury-prone Berger out for rest of season after knee operation
The former Czech international Patrik Berger, who has been dogged by injury in recent years, underwent a knee operation in the United States last week and will miss the rest of this season.
Play-off scramble as regular Extraliga season nears end
The Czech Extraliga is hotting up as the play-offs approach: Pilsen, who were in tenth before the weekend, beat both Karlovy Vary and Vsetin to advance to the crucial eighth place. Kladno, meanwhile, fell to ninth place after losing to Vitkovice. There are just two rounds of the regular season left.
Big names could appear for Czechs at World Ice Hockey Championships
Czech national team coach Slavomir Lener brought some interesting news back from a scouting visit to North America ahead of April's Ice Hockey World Championships: legendary goalie Dominik Hasek, currently out with a groin injury, has expressed interest in playing in the championships, two years after retiring from international hockey. Several other Czech stars addressed by Lener also said they might accept a call-up, among them Robert Lang, who currently leads the NHL points table.
