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A.C. Sparta - Celtic F.C., 28/05/1922
Author: Isaque Argolo | Creation Date: 2023-08-21 20:41:56
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After having already played two matches against representatives of Czechoslovakia, a clash between a Czech XI and the Scottish League champions was scheduled, however, due to a series of issues — which also involved injuries to Scottish players —, this match was cancelled. Subsequently, a rematch against A.C. Sparta was scheduled for 28/05/1922, Sunday, in yet another clash between the champions of their respective countries.
For this match, Celtic F.C. would start without Patsy Gallacher and Joe Cassidy. For A.C. Sparta, Antonín Janda and Václav Pilát were replaced by the Novák brothers.
International match: 28/05/1922, Sunday, 17:30.
A.C. Sparta — Celtic F.C. 2:0 (1:0)
Place: Stadion Letná, Prague — Referee: Josef Fanta (Prague)
Linesmen: ?
Attendance: over 15.000.
A.C. Sparta
Coach: John Dick.
XI: Peyr — Hojer I., Pospíšil — Kolenatý, Káďa(c), Perner — Sedláček, Novák I., Novák II., Šroubek, Červený.
Celtic F.C.
Coach: W. Quinn.
XI: Shaw — McNair, Hilley — Gilchrist, Cringan, McStay — McAtee, Maclane, McFarlane, Murphy, Crilley.
Goals:
Novák I.(26min) and Šroubek(65min).
This was a highly contested match from start to finish. Perhaps, the best that Celtic F.C. performed on Czech soil. The Scottish team was faster, infiltrating and constantly finishing. However, several chances were wasted by the visitors in the first half. On the side of A.C. Sparta, several chances were wasted as well. The Prague red team did not change their style of play for this match, no, the reds played a beautiful combination ground game without any particular effort.
The Scottish team, as previously mentioned, presented themselves with a faster style, but ineffective when the chances were created. They were slightly better than the Czechs in the first half. However, in the second half A.C. Sparta were much better, therefore causing danger to the Scottish gate.
One of the spectacles of the match were the notorious episodes of the Scots forward line clashes against the defensive system of A.C. Sparta. In that regard, The defensive trio of Peyr, Hojer and Pospíšil played flawlessly. Kolenáty and Káďa surpassed each other in the finesse of the game of halves. Perner was weaker than both. Especially Hojer and Kolenatý gave a remarkable performance, whose mutual understanding surely deserved the generous recognition of the audience. In Kolenatý's case, the red right half-back was in one of his inspired days; even saving your team in clear goal situations.
MATCH REPORT: In the first two minutes, Sparta attacks, but then the Scots rise to counter-attacks, during which the home team miraculously escapes disaster when Kolenaty knocks the ball off the goal line in the fourth minute.
The attack sorely lacked the prudent leadership of Pilát. Novák II. was agile, but he did not have the spread and composure of his predecessor. Šroubek was very aggressive. Novák I. played average. The outside forwards accurately centered, especially Červený. Sedláček was very good, perhaps the best forward. This time the Novák brothers did not play as well as they did against Hakoah.
Regarding the conditions of Czech football disputing with Scottish football, a Czech cronist wrote:
— The visitors started with all seriously injured except for Gallacher. They were again technically better than Sparta, but worse in shooting and so they left defeated. The right back and all the half-backs stood out again. The right winger left in 30 minutes of the second half, possibly injured.
» So the guests did not win yesterday either, although they had a studied opponent. We do not want to say that our football is better than Scottish football, but it is certainly pleasing that our teams managed to win all three matches.
Due to the nice impressions which A.C. Sparta had on the managers of Celtic, the red team was invited to play against them in Glasgow for Christmas 1922.
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