Coach Martin Hyský stood under the cauldron of loyal Pilsen fans at the stadium in Basel and listened to his name being enthusiastically chanted. He didn’t jump, he didn’t cheer, on the contrary he gestured several times at his team: “My boys deserve praise. Applaud them. I smile in front of them.” Football Plzeň completed an amazing streak in the Europa League.
She went undefeated in eight matches against very tough competition and at the end hid a sweet 1:0 victory in Switzerland.
The youngster Jiří Panoš, born in 2007 and a generational talent, scored. In the 39th minute, Doski’s long cross from a corner kick sailed to him, Panoš masterfully set up the left-hander and scored three points from the volley. “Wonderful feeling,” he breathed.
FC Basel – Viktoria Plzeň 0:1
Branka: 39. Panoš. Referee: Kruashvili (Georgia). ŽK: Adjetey, Rüegg – Dweh, Memič. Half: 0:1.
Basel: Hitz (46. Salvi) – Rüeg, Adjectey, Daniliuc, Schmid (64. Cissé) – Createread (57. Leroy), Kaximo (57. Agbonio), Shaqiri, Otle, Otele (79. Salah) – Sahah) – Sahat (79. Salah. The Lichtsteiner Trewer.
Pilsen: Wiegele – Memič, Dweh, Jemelka, Spáčil – Valenta (79. Kabongo), Červ – Panoš (64. Višinský), Ladra, Doski – Souaré (90.+4 Novák). Coach Hysky.
Man of the match: Florian Wiegele.
It was a wonderful feeling for all of Victoria, which was the only one not to lose in the Europa League. After three wins and five draws, they finished fourteenth. Although they missed out on direct progress to the round of 16, to which only the elite eight are entitled, but given their cup form, Pilsen can easily make it.
They just have to knock out another strong team in the interim. At Friday’s draw, they will find out if they will face Panathinaikos Athens or Fenerbahce Istanbul. It is certain that the rematch will be played at home, as it finished higher in the table.
The hard-working team deserves a lot of praise for its European run. In contrast to the refined Slavia, which did not win even once in the higher category called the Champions League and received an embarrassing four goals from Pafos on Wednesday in Cyprus, Plzeň managed the cup mission brilliantly. Even in Basel, she was sharp, aggressive, practically constantly in sprints, selfless in defensive work. It is certainly no coincidence that she has conceded just three goals in eight games.
In the long table of thirty-six teams, for example, both club giants from Glasgow, Salzburg, Lille or Stuttgart remained behind Viktoria. “We appreciate it very much, because the opponents we met were excellent and at the level of the Champions League,” said coach Hyský.
And what’s next, Victoria?
