Pavel Šustr has not experienced a loss since taking over as head coach of Zbrojovka in late August. Photo credit: FC Zbrojovka.
Brno, Oct. 31 (BD) – Egoé Brno hopes to finish strong against visiting Kolín on Saturday, KP Brno hosts league-leading Praha Saturday afternoon, Kometa riding another three-game winning streak, Lokomotiva ends first half of season at Liberec on Saturday and the Brno sports schedule.
MEN’S FOOTBALL
Zbrojovka Wins On the Road Again
The center pass was beautiful and there were two Zbrojovka players who looked to have a chance at heading it into the goal, but, in the end, it was the Hradec Králové defender who got his head on the ball and, instead of clearing it safely, drilled it into his own goal.
It was all Zbrojovka would need to notch a 0-1 away win at Hradec Králové and get three points.
Musefiu Ashiru, who has only recently returned to the lineup after injury recuperation, would have had the assist had one of his offensive players gotten to the ball first. Instead, the aggressive play ended with Zbrojovka on top anyway.
Though Brno has logged uninspiring scoreless ties in their previous two home games, Zbrojovka is on a seven-game unbeaten streak that has been worth 13 points. Ever since head coach Pavel Šustr took over in late August, the team has always added at least one point in every game.
Overall, Zbrojovka (5-5-3 with 20 points) is in seventh place in the Fortuna:Narodni Liga standings. (And much of this success without injured Lukas Magera, who has scored eight goals and is tied for second for top scorer in the league.)
Zbrojovka will try to keep the streak going — and perhaps add more win points — when they host Vítkovice (6-3-4, 21 points) on Sunday at 6 p.m.
There are only two more games in the first half of the season: at Třinec on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 10:15 a.m. and at home against Vlašim on Friday, Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. on national television.
The league will resume on March 2 and run through May 25.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Egoé Brno Struggles Again in Fourth Quarter
For the second time in a row, egoé Brno could not sustain its level of play in the fourth quarter and for the second time in a row the team lost.
On Saturday, Pardubice slowly pulled away through the final frame to win, 70-87, on Saturday. In the previous game, USK Praha was able to scratch back into the game to hit a last-second 3-pointer. Combined, Brno has been outscored 33-57 in the two fourth quarters.
“We knew it was going to be a pretty tough game for us,” Brno head coach Dejan Jakara said after the Pardubice game. “With these kinds of teams we cannot have three bad minutes.”
Brno (3-3) was led by its three American players: Reggie Keely and Deremy Geiger both had 16 points, and Davell Roby added 13. Pardubice (5-1) is second in the standings.
“I think it was very good for our team, this experience,” Jakara added. “We can learn from this game. I’m sure that in the next games we will be better.”
After travelling to Austria to play BK Klosterneuburg Dukes in an Alpe Adria Cup game on Wednesday, Brno will have four games in two weeks: at home against GEOSAN Kolín (2-4) on Saturday at 7 p.m.; at BK Opava (4-2) on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m.; at ČEZ Basketball Nymburk (6-0) on Nov. 10 at 5 p.m.; and at home against SLUNETA Ústí nad Labem (1-5) on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
KP Brno, Zabiny Brno Both in Second Place
In a busy Saturday in the ZBL, BK Žabiny Brno won, KP Brno lost and Teamsport Brno really lost.
In the end, Žabiny Brno (5-1) and KP Brno (5-1) are both in second place in the standings.
BK Žabiny Brno (5-1) beat last-place U19 Chance (0-7), 84-47. KP Brno (5-1) could not get past host Sokol Hradec Králové (4-3) on Saturday. The final score was 78-74. And in a tremendously lopsided game, ZVVZ USK Praha beat Teamsport Brno, 123-12, on Saturday to remain the only undefeated team in the league.
KP Brno will have to shake off its loss quickly. Tonight, on Halloween Wednesday, they will host Reyer Venezia of Italy in Group G of the Eurocup. Tip off is at 6 p.m.
Then, on Saturday, ZVVZ USK Praha comes to Kralove Pole for a rematch of last year’s championship series. The game starts at 3:30 p.m.
HOCKEY
Kometa Streaks through Week With Three Wins
HC Kometa have a three-game winning streak as the Tipsport extraliga season moves into its second round of games. First, Kometa beat Zlín, 3-2, in a shootout at home on Wednesday. Then they beat Chomutov, 3-1, on Sunday. Finally, on Tuesday, they traveled to Plzeň to win, 2-4.
In Plzeň, the two teams combined for five goals in the first period, capped by a 20th minute goal by Lukáš Kašpar that made it 2-3 for Kometa. Then the scoring died down until Kašpar added his second goal in the final minute of the game.
Brno is officially in fourth place with 28 points, the same total as Liberec and Hradec Králové. All three teams are just three points behind league-leader Sparta.
Kometa is on their third three-game streak of the year. They can extend it at Mlade Boleslav on Sunday at 4 p.m. Then there will be a 10-day international break.
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Lokomotiva Finishes Busy Fortnight with Just One Win
Lokomotiva Brno-Herni Herspice had a promising schedule with three home games and a road game against the last-place team in the league jammed into the final two weeks of October. Yet, after losing to FK Dukla Praha, 0-2, on Saturday, the team ended the stretch with just one win and three loses.
Lokomotiva Brno H. H. (2-1-5) is currently fifth in the standings with seven points. The bottom three teams also have just two wins on the season.
The final game of first half of the season will be on Saturday at FC Slovan Liberec. The game starts at 11 a.m.
BRNO SPORTS RESULTS
Quick results for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the past week. Home team listed first (when applicable).
Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018
— Hockey: Kometa 3, Zlín 2, extra time shootout
— Women’s Basketball: Žabiny Brno 99, Loko Trutnov 83
— Women’s Basketball, Eurocup, Group G: Miškolc 77, KP Brno 59
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018
— Women’s Football: Lokomotiva Brno H. H. 0, FK Dukla Praha 2
— Women’s Basketball: Sokol Hradec Králové 78, KP Brno 74
— Women’s Basketball: ZVVZ USK Praha 123, Teamstore Brno 12
— Women’s Basketball: Žabiny Brno 84, U19 Chance 47
— Men’s Football: Hradec Králové 0, Zbrojovka Brno 1
— Men’s Basketball: egoé Basket Brno 70, BK JIP Pardubice 87
Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018
— Hockey: Kometa 3, Chomutov 1
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018
— Hockey: Plzeň 2, Kometa 4
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).
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018
— Men’s Basketball, Alpe Adria Cup: BK Klosterneuburg Dukes X Egoé Basket Brno, 7 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball, Eurocup, Group G: KP Brno X Reyer Venezia, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018
— Men’s Basketball: Basket Brno X GEOSAN Kolín, 7 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: DSK Basketball Nymburk X Žabiny Brno, 5 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: KP Brno X ZVVZ USK Praha, 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018
— Women’s Football: FC Slovan Liberec X Lokomotiva Brno H. H., TBD
— Women’s Basketball: Teamstore Brno X Loko Trutnov, 5 p.m.
— Hockey: Ml.Boleslav X Kometa, 5:30 p.m.
————————————————————
Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018
— Hockey: HC Masaryk University X UK Praha, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018
— Women’s Basketball, Eurocup, Group G: KP Brno X Nantes/Lutych, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018
— Men’s Basketball: BK Opava X egoé Basket Brno, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018
— Men’s Basketball: ČEZ Basketball Nymburk X Basket Brno, 5 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: Žabiny Brno X BLK Slavia Praha, 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018
— Women’s Basketball: Loko Trutnov X KP Brno, 5 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: Slovanka MB X Teamstore Brno, 5 p.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.
Get the news first! Subscribe to our daily newsletter here. Top stories of the day in your mailbox every morning.
