For the third time in a row, Sparta players failed to win the Fortuna: League. They only drew 0:0 at home with Zlin and are four points behind leaders Pilsen. The West Bohemians still have a game against the newcomer from Brno to look forward to. “I don’t see problems, I see challenges,” Litten coach Brian Brysky said after the embarrassment with Zlin, at the end of which the angry whistle of the stands rang out at the players in red.
Out of seven games in the new season, the Spartans have already failed four times in the league. What’s more, they didn’t play against a single top six team last season. Add to that the embarrassment of a lightning elimination in the preliminary round of the European Conference League.
“We are a team that struggles to create chances and score goals against teams with a very defensive mentality that we have played with since the start of the season,” Bryske said after the draw with Zlin.
According to the Danish coach, the fact that Letensk has so far played with weaker teams on paper is perhaps even more flawed. “The opponents stop the bus, which makes it difficult for us to create chances and score goals,” Brisky shrugged.
The former Midtigland strategist researched the causes of the failures: “We have to rise to the challenge, evolve and play better.
However, he was also not convinced that the charges against him had been adhered to. Brysky admitted that “the first half against Zlin disappointed me”. “We were too slow in attack, we didn’t have enough speed, we didn’t create enough chances,” he said.
Ironically, the opponent was closer to winning in the second half. Philo hit the crossbar at a great opportunity, and Siln allowed keeper Hulk to excel on the next shot. Brysky admitted that “Zlin could score and take three points”.
But the “shoemakers” were not satisfied after the lottery. “I’m glad we’re going to take a point, because we definitely deserved it for the way the boys worked and how they finished their assignments,” said coach Jan Jelinek.
“Sparta entered both halves very actively and threatened from crosses. We were prepared for that, and also defended the standard positions. We waited for the balls stuck in the middle of the field and the breaks that appeared at the end. Unfortunately, we did not solve it with a goal because they were happier and turned it into three. Points for our team. A draw is deserved. We take the point humbly,” Jelinek repeated.
