Geordie Al's Groundhopper Scrapbook: Viktoria Zizkov 2-0 Vitkovice, Sunday 11th August 2019

Monday 12 August 2019

Viktoria Zizkov 2-0 Vitkovice, Sunday 11th August 2019

Viktoria Zizkov 2-0 Vitkovice, Czech FNL, att. 1,002 (efotbal arena)

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It’s mid-morning on a Sunday in Prague, which can only mean one thing – Viktoria Zizkov! Along with Bohemians, this is by far my favourite Prague footballing experience (outside of Prague, definitely Sigma Olomouc – what a stadium!) And, knowing the area, I stayed in Zizkov (one stop on the tram from the main station) and left my abode at 10:05 for a 10:15 kick-off. Not that I saw kick-off – the queue saw to that.

Nice day for it.

There were plenty of English (and Scottish) voices in the crowd. Certainly, tourists and expats made up a decent proportion of the crowd. More than the away fans, though I saw two wearing Vitkovice scarves. Unsurprising really, as they barely get a crowd at home in the eastern city of Ostava. I presume those two live in Prague.

Is it an away end if there's no away fans?

Being clever (!) I bought a ticket in the Main Stand, the only cover in the ground. Already the sun was up and temperatures were bordering 30°c. Course, I hadn’t actually noticed where the sun was – pointing directly at the Main Stand. Fans shuffled to the back, but the view of the pitch is obscured by the camera gantries. Far better to be on the far (seated) terrace: the tall buildings behind mean this is always in the shade of a morn. In early August. So I moved there for the 2^nd half, not wanting to push my way past other fans while the game was playing.

It's cosy in here.

The teams moved about quite well considering the heat, but it remained scoreless at half-time. Zizkov had had some promising attacks but were let down by wayward, or weak, finishing. It was breakfast time for me, however, and I was rewarded with my finest sausage so far on my latest adventure, a salami-esque number in a hot dog roll, with onions. All washed down with a morning beer…no, I was thirsty. I didn’t need alcohol. 7Up (Sprite) has never tasted so good. (Reminds me of a joke from my youth: Why do Americans drink Coca-Cola? Cos they can’t get 7Up! - This was after a rather unsuccessful US space mission in which the crew died.)

This is what I call a fine specimen.

While I, and many others, sought shade, the Zizkov ultras (all 30 of them) stood in the ‘temporary’ stand behind the goal, slowly cooking in the sun. (I say ‘temporary; it was here 5 years ago or whenever I was last here. Like Gillingham’s away end, if you substitute red seats for blue and sun for habitual misery.) Change is on the horizon though. The old entrance has been removed as part of the building process for the new office and living blocks which are going up behind the goal. The temp stand still remains in the architect’s impression though, as well as the rest of the ground, Long may it be so; don’t turn it into the plastic experience of Sparta or Slavia.

Gillingham's away end has never looked this good.

Zizkov eventually won the game 2-0; a flicked header from a cross and a 25 yard free kick which went through the keeper’s hand. Shame for him, as he’d had a good game. Otherwise, the star turn was a black fella in Zizkov’s midfield, presumably the Ecuadorian (Ecuadoran?) Batioja. Defensively, he won everything first half, before being pushed up second half and being the centre of everything. I suspect he won’t be there long.
And then it was all over. It was barely midday and I was one game down.