Fans will fill Srbská stadium Friday evening in the hopes of a second consecutive home victory. Photo credit: FC Zbrojovka Brno.
Brno, Aug 15 (BD) — Draci show vulnerability with two losses, Lokomotiva starts women’s football season at Sparta Praha on Sunday, and the Brno sports schedule.
MEN’S FOOTBALL
Česky Budějovice Visits for Friday Evening Game
FC Zbrojovka Brno has fixed one of the problems that caused it to drop out of the first league after last season: they have an impressive eight goals through four games of the Fortuna:Narodni Liga. Unfortunately, the team has yet to figure out how to solve the other major problem: they have given up eight goals so far this season.
On Friday, Zbrojovka hopes to right the ship when it hosts Česky Budějovice at 6:30 p.m. in a game that will also be televised by CT Sport. It will be the final home game for a month.
Overall, Brno has a record of 1-1-2 for four points. It is currently ninth in the second-league standings. Česky Budějovice will be a difficult opponent. SK Dynamo ČB has won all four of its games and they have a 9-3 goals scored-goals allowed ratio.
Last weekend, Zbrojovka lost 3-2 at Žižkov. The game started on a positive note when, in the 14th minute, Peter Štěpanovský sent a ball into the center that Antonin Růsek headed into the goal. Then, after Žižkov scored three goals, Lukáš Magera converted a corner kick in the 69th minute to extend his scoring streak to four games.
Zbrojovka is still not at full strength. Offensive players Michal Škoda and Musefiu Ashiru, both of whom have shown flashes of brilliance during their Zbrojovka careers, have not yet played this season. Neither has Portuguese defender Francisco Gomes.
Another player who has not seen the field is former national-team player Jan Polák, nor will he. The Brno native came to the team last year with 57 starts with the Czech national team, including at the 2006 World Cup, and 11 seasons of experience in Germany and Belgium. He and club management failed to communicate effectively and they parted ways.
MOL Cup play begins next Wednesday when Zbrojovka has a first-round game at Žďár n. Sázavou at 5 p.m.
Táborsko comes to Brno in the middle weekend of September for the next home game.
BASEBALL
Draci Shut Out by Kotlářka
It is a truism in sports (which has made much money for many gamblers over the years): dominant teams are vulnerable after they qualify early for the postseason.
There are several reasons for this: an innate desire to relax one’s level of competitiveness; the psychological belief that you need not work so hard; a natural desire to rest your body; perhaps the belief that you really are so good; or the manager deciding to give second team and younger players some playing time.
Whatever the reason(s), the Brno Draci would have been a good bet against last weekend when they dropped two of three games to Kotlářka Praha. The Draci lost only one game during the regular season and went undefeated to win the Czech Baseball Cup, but they are now 10-2 in the Playoff Bracket.
Arrows Ostrava (9-3) is a game back. Eagles Praha (8-4) are two games back.
Cardion Hroši Brno (4-8) is six games back after losing all three of its games to the Eagles last weekend: 5-0 in Prague on Friday and 6-10 and 5-8 in a doubleheader in Brno on Saturday.
Interestingly, Draci Brno have struggled against the bottom two teams of the Playoff Bracket: Kotlářka Praha (4-8) and Tempo Titans (1-11). They were pushed to the brink of losing in two games against the Tempo Titans in Prague on Aug. 4 and 5. Then they lost their very next game, 0-5 to Kotlářka at home on Friday. They later lost in a slugfest on Sunday, 2-12, in Prague.
In the home-game loss, Ondřej Furko, one of the best pitchers in the league, had an off night. He gave up five earned runs in the top of the fourth inning. Furko had been 6-0 with nine earned runs prior to the game. The Draci offense could muster only three hits and one walk as Kotlářka’s Jan Novák struck out 14.
The Draci will play the Ostrava Arrows in Brno on Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m., in Ostrava on Satruday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. and again in Brno on Sunday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m.
In the Playout Bracket, Technika split a doubleheader with Klasik FM. Technika, which is 7-1, will play a doubleheader against the Třebíč Nuclears (8-0) on Saturday. Both teams are looking good to stay in the extraliga next season.
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Lokomotiva Starts Second Top-League Campaign
Lokomotiva Brno-Herni Herspice begins its second season in the top league of women’s football when it travels to AC Sparta Praha on Sunday. The game starts at 1 p.m.
Lokomotiva will be on the road until the third round of the season, when they host FC Slovan Liberec on Sept. 8. Their remaining home games are mostly later in the fall part of the season: on Sept. 22 they host SK Slavia Praha, then finish with three in a row against 1. FC Slovácko on Oct. 13, AC Sparta Praha on Oct. 20 and FK Dukla Praha on Oct. 27.
BRNO SPORTS RESULTS
Quick results for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the past week. Home team listed first (when applicable).
Friday, Aug. 10, 2018
— Baseball: Draci 0, Kotlářka 5
— Baseball: Eagles 5, Hroši 0
Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018
— Baseball: Hroši 6, Eagles 10
— Baseball: Hroši 5, Eagles 8
— Baseball: Kotlářka 2, Draci 12
— Baseball: Klasik FM 2, Technika 16
— Baseball: Technika 4, Klasik FM 6
Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018
— Baseball: Kotlářka 10, Draci 8
— Men’s Football: Žižkov 3, Zbrojovka Brno 2
BRNO SPORTS SCHEDULE
The schedule for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the next two weeks. All dates and times subject to change. Home team listed first (when applicable).
Friday, Aug. 17, 2018
— Men’s Football: Zbrojovka Brno X Č. Budějovice, 6:30 p.m.
— Baseball: Eagles X Draci, 7 p.m.
— Baseball: Arrows X Hroši, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018
— Baseball: Draci X Eagles, 1 p.m.
— Baseball: Hroši X Arrows, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018
— Baseball: Hroši X Arrows, 1 p.m.
— Baseball: Draci X Eagles, 2 p.m.
— Women’s Football: AC Sparta Praha X Lokomotiva Brno H. H., 1 p.m.
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Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018
— Men’s Football (MOL Cup): Žďár n. Sázavou X Zbrojovka Brno, 5 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 24, 2018
— Baseball: Tempo X Hroši, 5 p.m.
— Baseball: Draci X Arrows, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018
— Baseball: Tempo X Hroši, 2 p.m.
— Baseball: Arrows X Draci, 7 p.m.
— Men’s Football: Prostějov X Zbrojovka Brno, 10:15 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018
— Baseball: Hroši X Tempo, 1 p.m.
— Baseball: Draci X Arrows, 2 p.m.
— Women’s Football: FK Dukla Praha X Lokomotiva Brno H. H., 10:30 a.m.
The Brno Sports Report is published every Wednesday. All dates and times are subject to change. Most of the stories are about the traditional “English-speaking” team sports — football, hockey, baseball, basketball, American football, rugby, etc. — but it is also about the interesting local spectator and participation sports — tennis, badminton, running, horse racing, swimming, rock climbing, biking, etc. If you have any suggestions for what should be included, please comment below or send an email to brnosports@gmail.com.
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