Dukla Prague 1-1 Zbrojovka Brno, Czech Liga, att. 1,579
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| The view over the Vltava as I begin my hike. |
For a second game in a row there's goals in the 8th and 18th minute. What are the odds? Only here, the game peters out and I don't remember a decent effort from either side thereafter. Still, I enjoyed it.
I'd walked from Malesicky Park, the other side of the main station. I tried catching a train to Nadrazi Podbaba, the nearest station to Dukla's Stadion Juliska, but I couldn't see any advertised. To hell with it, I'm not one to ask. I'll walk. I wasn't too bothered. With three hours to kick off, I had the time. I also had one or two vague maps and I knew the stadium was to the left of the railway track - somewhere. God, was it a long walk. I crossed the bridge in central Prague and headed up the hill to Park Letna. Little did I know (though I did it on the return journey) but I could have caught a #8 tram from the other side of the park to the Juliska, as long as you get off at the right stop. (FYI, this links Dukla's stadium with Sparta's.)
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| The Main Event |
Once I felt close to my destination, I dared to have a beer. The riot van outside the pub was the clue. I knew I was within a block or two. What a glorious half litre that beer proved. The second was ok too. A couple of Dukla fans walked past. I followed.
The stadium is deceptive. As you get to it, you walk up an incline to the turnstiles. It's a good job you do - so when you enter the Main Stand you're at the top of it. It feels huge, since it towers over everything else. There's about 50 fans in the rest of the stadium (how did THEY get in? There weren't any turnstiles offering an alternative to where we were.) It's a shallow terrace curving around the athletics track. But high up here, running track or not, you had a great view.
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| The view from upstairs |
There were also plenty of Brits in attendance, including a Scottish stag party. Well done on getting here! (Other small groups note: just grab a taxi from the centre of town.) The stags' party all wore 'comedy' flowery shirts. I wore mine in all seriousness.
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| Flowery shirts ahoy! |
Dukla went ahead, scoring off a rebound after the keeper had saved. Brno (I can't be writing their full name out again) equalised through a close range effort wot looked offside to me. As that was it matchwise, the remaining highlights were the well stocked souvenir tent and the vast array of food and drink, including doughnuts and some green liquid.
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| 'I'll have a doughnut and a pint of something green.' |
After the match, there was no way I was walking back and I hopped on tram #8. I didn't know it, but it would take me right past Sparta's Letna Stadion, where I was able to get off and walk the last few hundred metres through the park.
The Damage:
CHK 120
CHK 30 beer
CHK 50 kombasa (sausage)
CHK 249 t-shirt
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