Football players of VŠE succeeded in the Semifinals of the University League

Match report: VŠE – JU 5:1 (2:1)

Semi-final of the University Football League played on Wednesday 13.11. at TC Sparta Praha on Strahov.

On the home ground of AC Sparta Prague training centre, the football team of VŠE played the semifinal match of this year’s University Football League against the University of South Bohemia (JU).

Surely everyone had in their minds the game from the regular season, when in their first meeting JU scored three goals in the first half of the match. But this time the VŠE entered the game much better. Already in the second minute, Daniel Ircing’s cross-shot landed on the crossbar. And the first goal didn’t take long to come when, after a series of crosses, Ondřej Luňáček scored in the 18th minute. After the goal, the visitors became more determined. At that moment the football was played at a high tempo up and down. While VŠE managed counterattacks, their players often rushed passes or misplaced long balls. JU capitalized, equalizing in the 36th minute when Rostislav Baďura scored after a scramble in the penalty area, leveling the score at 1:1. The match was physical, with the referee issuing four yellow cards in the first half. One of these came after VŠE’s Marek Pokorný was fouled in the penalty area by JU’s Jakub Pařízek during a counterattack. Captain Petr Hochman converted the penalty with composure, setting the halftime score at 2:1.

VŠE started the second half strongly, with Marek Pokorný scoring in the 47th minute to make it 3:1, calming his team’s nerves. JU switched to an offensive strategy, but this played into the hands of the VŠE team. Roman Diviš increased the lead to 4:1 in the 63rd minute. The visitors had a glimmer of hope shortly afterward when VŠE goalkeeper Stoklasa fouled an attacker, awarding JU a penalty. However, Stoklasa redeemed himself by saving the penalty, breaking JU’s resistance. Adam Šenkýř hammered the final nail in the coffin with a goal from a free kick in the 72nd minute, securing a 5:1 victory for VŠE. After the match, chants like “VŠE, the best in Prague!” and the victorious cheer “Our one true love, the VŠE family!” echoed.

The University of South Bohemia will now face Charles University in the bronze match, while VŠE will meet the Technical University of Ostrava in the final.

We invite all football fans and everyone to join us on December 5 at 6:30 PM for the final match, which will take place at the Slavoj Vyšehrad complex (Mikuláše z Husi 1709, Nusle, 140 00 Prague 4). Thank you in advance for your support!

Coach Jiří Kotáb’s Evaluation:
“Our team delivered a responsible, collective performance. I’m particularly pleased with how we started both halves, scoring early in each, especially the third goal, which settled the team in the second half. The players responded excellently after JU’s equalizer, using it as motivation rather than letting it shake them. Overall, we’ve been very effective in knockout matches, and I hope this form continues into the final.”

VŠE Lineup: Šmerda (Stoklasa) – Duch, Mucha, Hochman (C), Vik (Jurníček) – Sklenička (Čaloun), Ircing (Khol), Luňáček, Šenkýř (Janda), Pokorný (Hrubý) – Diviš (Prýmas).

Goals for VŠE: Luňáček, Hochman, Pokorný, Diviš, Šenkýř.