Midfielder Kačor scored the decisive goal for the Czech Republic Under-21 football team in a 1-0 win over Turkey in the first leg of their European Championship qualifying playoff, Sport.cz reported.
The Slavia Prague player struck in Riga after earlier assisting Lukáš Mašek in a 1-0 victory against Bulgaria that secured the Czech side’s spot in the playoff round. The team relied on strong defensive resolve as Turkey applied late pressure in front of vocal home supporters.
“Při každém přerušení jsem doufal, že už půjdu dolů. Když se to nakonec povedlo, oddechl jsem si,” Kačor told Sport.cz.
Kačor battled severe cramps during the closing stages of the match and asked the coaching staff for a substitution. The midfielder waited nearly ten minutes for a stoppage in play before he could leave the pitch.
“Byl jsem už trochu vyšťavený. Trenérům jsem říkal, že potřebuju střídat. Chtěl jsem, aby za mě šel někdo čerstvý, protože jsem věděl, že týmu pomůže víc než já,” Kačor told Sport.cz.
The player confirmed he remains healthy despite recent limited playing time caused by a shoulder injury, noting that his physical exhaustion in Turkey stemmed purely from match intensity and muscle cramps.
The strike marked Kačor’s second goal in Turkey within a month, following an earlier effort for Slavia Prague against Fenerbahçe in the UEFA Champions League. The midfielder acknowledged his growing affinity for playing matches in the country.
“Proti Fenerbahce jsem tady dal gól, teď znovu. Takže kdykoliv budeme hrát v Turecku, asi se sem budu rád vracet,” Kačor told Sport.cz.
The Czech squad returns home for the return leg of the playoff, with the team scheduled to play in Hradec Králové, where Kačor previously won the MOL Cup.
