/DIRECT FROM ČESKÝ BUDĚJOVIC/ The difficult period for the footballers of Baník Ostrava continues. From the last six league matches, Slezana took a single point. On Saturday, they also came out empty-handed in České Budějovice (1:2) and have already dropped to thirteenth place in the table. As they heard support from the guests throughout the duel, after the end they were again faced with the demand to take off their jerseys. This time, Jan Laštůvka and spol. they did They then angrily marched to the changing rooms, while as an “encore” they heard a shout: You are not a Miner. “I perceive it,” admitted coach Pavel Hapal.
Dynamo Ceske Budejovice – Baník Ostrava (March 18, 2023).
| Video: David Heckel
It didn’t go well for the miner in the South from the beginning. In the beginning, he had a chance after the Šín corner, but nothing else. And the barrenness in the offensive was compounded by uncertainty at the back. Adediran caused problems, the home team’s first goal was not yet recognized for offside by Havel. After half an hour, however, Dynamo rejoiced when Škoda’s header was unluckily saved by league debutant Zdeněk Říha for Laštůvka. The coaches were forced to use the twenty-year-old young man by the extensive shortage among the stoppers.
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“The situation is difficult, but we came here with the intention of playing carefully at the back and not making simple mistakes. I don’t think we did that many, but we were very passive in defense, we didn’t win one-on-one battles and the opponent was dangerous. Unfortunately, every kicked ball was a problem for us,” Baník coach Pavel Hapal knew, as his team equalized with Jiří Fleišman’s clever shot over the wall.
“I had already made up my mind, it was on the field, so I wanted to try to put it on the ground. I’ll admit that it should have been towards the goalie, but my right foot missed a bit and I hit it more with my heel. That it turned out like this is probably the only positive,” he admitted sadly.
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It was the experienced defender who made a mistake during one of the mentioned kicks in the second half. Zajíc ran for him, he crossed to Čermák, who scored the winning goal. “I take it upon myself,” Jiří Fleišman was clear. “I was already convinced that I would cut it, and it would go to the corner. Unfortunately, I didn’t jump,” explained Baník’s support.
In the remaining thirty minutes, the guests did not create any pressure. He only finished twice outside Almasi, and they didn’t take advantage of the two-on-one break. “That’s why we’re leaving with a defeat,” muttered Pavel Hapal, whose position is understandably disputed.
For about twenty minutes after the final whistle, Baník’s closest management – sports director Luděk Mikloško, executive director Michal Bělák and owner Václav Brabec – were debating the situation in the stands of Strělecký ostrov.
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“I have felt the pressure on my position since the first day I arrived. It’s Baník, a big club, and I feel sorry for our fans, many of whom come to cheer us on,” said Hapal. And will it continue to function? “You’re asking in the wrong place. Don’t ask me, but others,” he responded.
But how to get out of problems? “Only through hard work and work. There is no other instruction,” Pavel Hapal breathed. “But with a game like this, it is very difficult to score points, because we are barren up front, not very dangerous, and we make mistakes at the back. We are not able to win a match with zero,” regretted the coach. “It’s lying on our blanket,” added Pavel Hapal.
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Even Fleišman is not surprised by the anger of the fans, who were uncompromising this time and clearly demanded to take off their jerseys, which most of the players did. “It wasn’t pleasant, but no one goes on the pitch wanting to lose. Unfortunately, the opponents are also struggling, Budějovice was not doing well either, now they have three points more,” explained the defender.
“I perceive them. They’ve been nervous lately, but what I can say for myself – and I believe for the cabin – we’re not happy about it either. We feel sorry for them because they follow us, they are great, they support us, and after these results they are upset. But as I said, you have to buckle down, work and work. There is no other way out of this situation,” noted Pavel Hapal, adding that he believes in the help of the upcoming national team break.
“But we have to win at home, otherwise it will be bad,” concluded Jiří Fleišman towards the match with Liberec in two weeks.
