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Sándor Molnár: Sparta - Nacional, 1925

Author: Isaque Argolo | Creation Date: 2022-10-24 13:30:59

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SCHAFFER'S GAME WAS THE SENSATION OF THE URUGUAYANS' APPEARANCE IN PRAGUE
— Sándor Molnár | 18/05/1925 —

The rain was about to wash out the match, when it suddenly changed to ideal football weather within a quarter of an hour of the start. In front of a record audience of 30.000 people, the teams will appear in the following line-up:
Sparta: Hochmann — Hojer, PernerKolenatý, Káďa, Červený — Rektorys, Poláček, Schaffer, Hajný, Šimonek. CN Montevideo: Clavijo — Arispe, Fiorentino — Carreras, Zibechi, Bucetta — Urdinarán, Scarone, Andrade, Castro, Romano.
It seems at the beginning of the match that the South Americans will beat Sparta first. In the third minute, Urdinaran's shot bounced off the crossbar. The Uruguayan dominance lasts throughout the half, but is only expressed in corners and is interrupted by frequent Schaffer combinations.
In the second half, Sparta changes tactics and goes on the attack. Hajný shoots in the 7th minute and the world champion team is released from the stranglehold only at the cost of three corners. The goal is still only minutes late. In the tenth minute, Poláček's shot rebounded off the goal post, but Hajný, who was in the gap, recognized his only good minute and shot it into the goal. After eight minutes, Schaffer's ball is in the net, but due to Rektorys' offside, referee Cejnar does not give it.
The match satisfied all Praguers. If the visiting team did not live up to its reputation one hundred percent, Sparta's great form was worth the money. From the 15th minute of the second half, they served the Prague fanatics with the pleasure of playing one-on-one against the world champion for half an hour. Hojer from Sparta deserves all the praise. No one was ready for Schaffer's game today. He terrorized scoring chances, managed them and, if necessary, relieved the defense with his great work. Hajný's helplessness was the only reason why the result remained 1:0.
The vanquished can only have one excuse. The fact that they played with five reserves. Their weakest part was the forward line. Andrade and Cea were greatly missed. Andrade in the center was completely bad, but when he went to his place he excelled. Only Scarone showed great style.
After the match, I talked to Mr. San Martin, the team's guide. He accepts the match as realistic, but with a full line of forwards, they could have won by two or three goals. He cannot understand that Schaffer was not out in Paris. If they make it to Budapest, they will appear with a full team, apart from Petrone. From Zurich to Budapest? Vienna? Prague is their itinerary. Three of their players are on the way from South America. They will be in Bordeaux in four or five days.