They Brought a Debacle from Liberec

24. 03. 2011 |  

With regards to similar performances during previous league matches, the duel at Nisa Stadium did not have a clear favorite. The entry to the spring season was not a success for either of the teams, although Boleslav had collected four points in three matches (draw in Příbram 0:0, home win with Brno 5:0, loss in Ostrava 0:1), while Liberec had failed to gain a single point (loss in Jablonec 0:3, home loss to Slavia 0:2, loss in Příbram 0:1).
However, after half an hour there was a considerably more relaxed atmosphere among the Liberec side. A team that had been unable to overcome the rival goalie in their last three matches scored twice within a fifteen minute period. And there were two more after the break...

The first moment of excitement came from the interplay of Kulič and Mendy, but Liberec goalkeeper Bičík smothered the ball. Dejmek's back pass was so slow that it was almost run down by Chramosta. But again Bičík ran out of the penalty box and blocked the ball.
Liberec opened the floodgates in front of Miller in the 13th minute. Gecov shot and the Boleslav goalie batted the ball away from the right goalpost. He then saw Fleišman's curling shot just go wide as he ran from the corner to the near post, and from his s kick-in Štajner shot over the bar.

The Boleslav ranks were first hit in the 18th minute. Nezmar freed Dočkal, and he opened the scoring - 1:0. In the following minute Kulič successfully confused half of the Liberec defence, skillfully playing the ball into the path of Mendy, but Bíčík was again first to the ball. Dimoutsos' shot from the next attack was also off target.
In the 30th minute Boleslav had the advantage of direct free kick. However, the Liberec defence had no problem dealing with it, and Štajner's pass found Breznaník on a left wing break. He struck his shot from a tight angle and luckily found a peephole between Miller's gloves and the near post - 2:0.
The Boleslav players attacked the Liberec goal relentlessly, but they failed to score. Two minutes before the break saw Kúdela somehow shoot above Bičík's goal from a hopeful position.

At the start of the second half Boleslav survived an inaccurate header by Kelič from a corner kick, as well as the springy attack of Nezmar and Štajner, whose pacification was seen to by Johana, Rolko and Miller. Řezníček's centered pass across the Liberec penalty box was missed by Kulič in the 55th minute. Mendy then diverted a corner kick towards an unprotected Liberec goal, but to no avail.
In the 57th minute Boleslav once again laid siege on the Liberec goal, but again failed to conquer it. Liberec held resolute, defended their goal and soon found themselves on another fast break, which saw Breznaník's pass finished by Nezmar - 3:0.
One memorable Boleslav endeavor aimed at correcting the scoreline was a superb strike by Kúdela in the 62nd minute. Bičík batted it away from the right post. Three minutes later and Gebresselasie was in one-on-one with Miller at the other end of the pitch, but he failed to beat the goalie. The Boleslav's goalie tipped his shot over the crossbar for a corner kick.
In the 73rd minute Liberec's Gecov was reprimanded for a second offence, and the referee sent him off.
A weakened Liberec focused even more on their defense, looking for any possibility of a counter attack. Štajner succeeded in the 85th minute, but under pressure from a chasing Šírl, he was finally stopped by Miller. Vácha broke in the 88th minute; his first shot rebounded off the defenders straight back into the young man's path, and his second attempt finished inside the far post - 4:0.

The loss by four goals was a very cruel illustration of what had gone on in the game. Boleslav was definitely not that inferior a team, just pitifully unproductive. They dwelled in front of their rival's penalty box for lengthy periods, but made the Liberec defensive work very easy thanks to their lukewarm end-play, and were punished for this by fast breaks and goals.

FK Mladá Boleslav lineup: Miller - Kalina (64. Kysela), Rolko, Johana, Šírl - Mendy, Procházka, Kúdela, Dimoutsos (54. Táborský) - Kulič, Chramosta (54. Řezníček).
Boleslav missed Opiela, who was suspended after being sent off in the previous match in Ostrava, Dimitrovski because of an injured ankle and Fabián with a cold.

FC Slovan Liberec lineup: Bičík - Gebreselassie, Dejmek, Kelič, Fleišman - Dočkal (86. Holeňák), Vácha, Gecov, Breznaník (90. Sivrič) - Nezmar (70. Hadaščok), Štajner.

Goals: 18. Dočkal, 30. Breznaník, 57. Nezmar, 88. Vácha

YC: Gecov, Gebreselassie - Šírl, Procházka, Řezníček

RC: Gecov

Referees: Mikel - Chytil, Gallo

Spectators: 4,250