Europa League Full time report – Sparta Prague vs Palermo,
Sparta edge past Palermo by three goals to two
Palermo travelled to the Czech Republic to participate in their Europa League group stage match opener. The team was going into the match on the back of their worst ever start in the Serie A.
The team had drawn one game and lost the other one so far. However the teams hopes were high going into the game. The team felt that a win in the Europa league game could give them the rightful boost that they needed.
The Palermo manager was reported saying the following before the match: "We have the right players to do well, ''It will be crucial to take small steps, focusing on each game in order to go through to the next round.”
"I am certain we will go far in this competition.''
The team was high on optimism going into the game; however they were making their biggest possible mistake by under estimating their opponents going into the match. Sparta Prague are one of the best teams to ever come out of the Czech Republic and they were
not going to make this game easy for their Italian visitors by any means.
They made their intentions clear by scoring the opening goal of the game on the seventeenth minute Jiri Kladrubsky delivered a tantalizing cross from the right wing, which Bony Wilfred met with his head and caused the ball to rest in the back of the net
and hence gave the home team the early advantage.
However there was a lapse in the Sparta defence as Massimo Maccarone found some space near the fortieth minute park and struck a tremendous left footed shot that saw the scores go level at one goal apiece.
The first half ended in disappointment for the home team who felt that they should have had at least two of three goals to their name, while the visitors were glad to have gotten that one goal back.
The second half was far more eventful when compared to the first. This time around despite the home team still keeping most of the possession, Palermo seemed to hit the home team on the counter.
However twenty five minutes of frantic football later, it was the home side that got their second goal on the night. Manuel Pamic crossed in a ball from the left flank and Jiri Kladrubsky headed the ball clinically into the back of the net from nearly twelve
yards out.
The game was finally picking up pace and five minutes later, the home team scored another goal. Vaclav Kadlec, received a decent pass from the inform, Pamic and controlled the ball with ease before striking the ball from the left side of the penalty area
into the back of the net. This goal saw the home team go two goals up and left the score card reading 3-1 in favour of the home side.
However Palermo didn't give up hope yet, the team was still giving it their all. It wasn't until the eighty third minute however that the Italian side got their second goal. Abel Hernandez took a very good left footed shot from six yards out and saw the
ball end up in the back of the net.
This late goal saw the away team, go on and try to get one more to level the scores. However time was not on their side as the referee soon blew his whistle signalling the end of the match, leaving Sparta Prague to enjoy their narrow victory.
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