After two arduous matches against the strong power of Catalonia, F.C. Barcelona, A.C. Sparta continued its tour of the West, precisely still in Spain. The next opponent: Athletic Club Bilbao, the team that was the main reference of the Basque territory and the champion of Spain in 1921/21. In the stands an audience of approximately 8.000 spectators gathered to watch the match. The visit of 8.000 people was a record for Bilbao, as the population was at least five times smaller than that of Barcelona, which had a million people.


International match: 01/01/1922, Sunday, 15:00.
A.C. Bilbao — A.C. Sparta 3:5 (2:3)
Place: San Mamés, Bilbao — Referee: Pelayo Serrano de La Mata (Bizkaia).
Linesmen: ?
Attendance: about 8.000.

A.C. Bilbao
Coach: Juan Arzuaga.
XI: Amann — Rousse, Beguiristain — Sabino, Belauste, Nacho — Germán, Elexpuru, Carmelo, Agirre, Acedo.

A.C. Sparta
Coach: John Dick.
XI: Peyr — Hojer I., Pospíšil — Hojer II., Káďa(c), Perner — Červený, Janda, Pilát, Meduna, Mazal.

Goals:

Acedo(8min[penalty]), Elexpuru(9min) and Carmelo(30min)
Janda(2, 41min and 85min), Hojer(75min[penalty]) and Mazal(? and 88min).


Contrary to the two matches against F.C. Barcelona, the crowd in Bilbao was exemplary and unexpectedly calm. As well as the calm of the public, the plot of this match was completely different than expected, as A.C. Bilbao made a very effective impression against the defensive system of the Prague team. In sequence, the attacks of A.C. Bilbao scored three goals.

In just 30 minutes of disputed match, A.C. Bilbao opened a 3:0 lead against the Czechs. Peyr, rushing after the ball, caught one of the forwards by the leg, causing the referee to give a penalty kick. Acedo scored for the home team. A.C. Sparta managed to recover, however, as in the first goal occasion, an offensive action surprised the team and the second goal of the home team was scored by Elexpuru. The third goal came from a failure in the Prague team's defensive system. Sparta was, of course, strongly depressed by this, but despite that, Janda and Mazal managed to score two goals, so the half ended 3:2.


MATCH REPORT: In the second half, the picture of the game is the same as before. Sparta attacks until the goal, but the Spaniards defend so well that long minutes pass without the guests being able to achieve any success. The Spaniards launch very sharp and dangerous attacks, but the Spartan defense, having learned from the first half that feigning does not pay off, plays in such a way that all the Spanish efforts are shattered on their wall.


The minutes passed and A.C. Sparta pressed more and more. The Spaniards, however, looked like, in a miraculous way, they would manage to maintain the result of the first half. However, with only 7 minutes to go, Sparta increased the pace to the point of impossibility, but the excellent defense of the home team with the goalkeeper thwarts any success. In the 38th minute of the second half, depois da bola ter atingido a mão de um defensor, o árbitro dá uma penalty para o A.C. Sparta, which Antonín Hojer converted. 3:3.

This goal released the tremendous tension of the team, and they threw themselves into the fight with full vigor. The Spaniels lose their composure, they play frantically, and right after Janda manages to score the fourth winning goal. Mazal scores the 5th goal immediately in the end. Shortly afterwards, the referee ends the game and the audience loudly applauds the winner.