Geordie Al's Groundhopper Scrapbook: Slavia Prague 4-1 Slovan Liberec, Sunday 10th August 2014

Monday, 11 August 2014

Slavia Prague 4-1 Slovan Liberec, Sunday 10th August 2014

Slavia Prague 4-1 Slovan Liberec, Czech Liga, att. 8,248

You are here.

Two games in a day. This is the life. And for extra 'sad' points, I went a wandering round the Great Strahov Stadium inbetween. Slavia were kicking off at 8:15pm, Sunday, an (almost) logical choice, given both were in European action earlier in the week. But if this was England, and I lived in London, I wouldn't be able to get TO the 10:15am kick off, or get BACK from the 8:15pm one. So I bet there are some unhappy Czech football fans somewhere with these crazy KO times.

The outside of the stadium - how would you know???

Needless to say, with hours and hours between the matches, I cut it finer than was necessary. I simply spent way too long sniffing around the Great Strahov and surrounding park(s). The stadium has generally been left to rot (or whatever concrete does) though it's used by Sparta for training. To give an idea of its size, the playing area can fit 6 full size football pitches on it. So to have one game somewhere in the middle....the view must have been appalling.

The Strahov...left to rot.

By the time I'd wandered back down the hill (get the Petrin funicular up!) into central Prague, it was 6pm and I was thirsting for a beer. The barmaid defined 'buxom'. I've never seen a chest like it on such a relatively slim female and most of it was on display. But I only had time for one.

I only had a vague notion of where of where Slavia's stadium was. On a hunch, I went into the Metro. Surely the stadium had an underground stop? Perhaps handily called 'Eden Arena'?No. Prague only has three lines, none of which went to where I thought I needed to be. I went outside and found a tram stop; there it was (I hoped) 'Slavia'.

Above ground I needed change to buy a tram ticket. So I did what anyone else would do and bought a beer from the convenience store and...found there was no ticket machine. So I fare dodged my way on the #22 (apologies). Though chugging around Prague on a tram with a tin of Pilsner Urquell is a very pleasurable experience.

I expected the tram to fill up with fans. I worked out we'd hit 'Slavia' at 8:08pm, surely perfect timing? At IP Pavlova (my local stop as it happened) a couple of Slavia fans got on. Phew! It also meant I wouldn't have to listen out for my stop.

Just follow them.

At Slavia there were lots of fans milling, no rush to get in. I hunted out a ticket office (there were 2 in diametrically opposite corners). There were queues (bloody latecomers!) and tickets were CHK 160 or 260. I had the smaller amount ready..to be told they were sold out (which they weren't). I got a seat on the halfway line instead. Next time, I'll just get a ticket for the away end. There was no queue, though I'd decided against it based on the size of the fences at Dukla.

The ticket queue

I got in after 16 minutes to hear a roar. Yes, I'd arrived! No, it was 1-0. So I got a beer and took a perch high up on the halfway line. Problies someone else's seat, but quite a few elected to stand at the back. Liberec equalized, sliding home at the back post.

Half time was dinner time as far as I was concerned. I'd eaten 2 mini chocolate croissants all day. So what you don't wanna hear is 'they'll be ready in five minutes.' This is HALF TIME at a football match. I went back 10 minutes into the second half. Sold out. So I walked halfway around the concourse, found a sausage and went and sat behind the goal. This was new one on me, paying for a higher priced ticket and then sitting in the cheap seats.

It was passionate support behind the goal, as well as the largest concentration of topless blokes this side of G.A.Y. There were flares, choreographed chanting and holding up of banners. A large proportion of the end missed five minutes of the 1st half stood under one banner,

The Slavia ultras

Slavia went 2-1 and 'Skoda' (a headline writer's dream) bagged two late goals to seal it. Slovan were very poor throughout, disappointing their 50 or so followers. Indeed, such was their determination to simply get out of town, their team bus passed me while I waited for my tram.

Attendance: 8,248

The Damage (CHK):
260 ent
80 beer (2)
55 kombasa (sausage)
20 programme
= 415 CHK (12 quid)

The club shop had no badges - but had everything else.

The Tunes:
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (The Sundays)