Sports News

In Sports News this Monday: the Czech Republic’s handball team scores a famous victory over the Olympic champions France in a European Championships qualifier in Brno; the Czech Republic play Slovakia on Tuesday in a friendly game to mark 100 years of ice hockey in this part of the world; in football, Slavia concede their first goal at Eden this season, though two strikes from wonder-boy Necid gives them a 2:1 win over Brno; and the greatest Czech sumo wrestler ever calls it a day.

Czech handball players celebrate victory over Olympic champions France

Photo: CTK

The Czech Republic’s handball team scored a famous victory on Sunday, when they beat Olympic champions France 32:29 in a European Championships qualifier in Brno. Czech fans got a rare chance to see one of the greatest handball players in the world, Nikola Karabatic, but would have been relieved the French international wasn’t on his best form, after returning from injury. He and his team-mates simply could not cope with the Czechs, who admitted the French coach, performed brilliantly in both defence and attack. Czech captain Karel Nocar shared his thoughts with Czech Television after the game:

“I’m glad that Nikola Karabatic played and they put out their strongest possible line-up – it made the victory all the more valuable. We said before the game we could take on anybody, including the best team in the world right now, and at the right moment we showed our strength.”

Czechs play Slovaks in Prague to celebrate 100 years of ice hockey

A friendly international between the Czech Republic and Slovakia is being held in Prague on Tuesday to celebrate one hundred years of ice hockey in this part of the world. The most successful Czech player of all time, Jaromír Jágr, will be taking part, despite a slight groin problem. Jágr is also in new coach Vladimír Růžička’s squad for the Karjala Cup, which begins in Norway on Thursday.

Slavia concede first goal at Eden but beat Brno to extend lead in league

Slavia Prague-Brno, photo: CTK

Slavia Prague have conceded a league goal at their Eden stadium for the first time this season, though they were little troubled by Brno in Sunday’s game – it ended 2:1 with both the leader’s goals coming from the current wonder-boy of Czech football, Tomáš Necid. The tall 19-year-old now has nine goals on his account this season, and Slavia will surely miss him when he goes to CSKA Moscow in January. In the meantime, they’ll be hoping Necid can find the net again against Aston Villa, who Slavia host in the UEFA Cup on Thursday night.

Mladá Boleslav-Liberec, photo: CTK

Back in the Czech league, Mladá Boleslav fell off the pace when they failed to hold on to a two-goal lead and drew 3:3 at Liberec, a result which leaves them four points behind Slavia.

Greatest Czech sumo wrestler ever retires at 35

The greatest Czech sumo wrestler of all time has just hung up his loincloth at the age of 35. Jaroslav Poříz, who took silver medals at the world amateur championships in 2006 and again this year, is the head of the Czech sumo union and has set up a training centre in Jilemnice near the Krkonoše Mountains.