Lingr secured us win against Ballkani

After two defeats agaist Cluj Slavia needed 3 points against Ballkani in Pristina to keep their hopes for knockout stage afloat. The Red-Whites were 3 points behind Cluj and Sivasspor in the table of Group G.

Jindřich Trpišovský made only two changes into the successful line-up from the Prague Derby. Sor and Tiéhi replaced Jurečka and Hromada who are not on the UECL player’s list.

With 16 minutes on the clock Slavia got into the first big opportunity of the game. After a cross from the right wing Yira Sor did not hit the ball properly inside of the box and it rebounded to Peter Olayinka who sent his shot over the crossbar from 8 metres.

12 minutes later Taras Kacharaba set up Yira Sor on the left side of the box with a long ball from his own half and the cross shot from the Nigerian forward narrowly missed the far post.

Shortly before the break Ballkani could break the deadlock after a counter-attack when 3 players proceeded against 2 Slavia defenders, but Krasniqi sent his low shot next to the far post.

Slavia dominated the second half and did not allow the home side closer to their own goal. But it took until the 75th minute for them to score. After a corner the ball rebounded outside of the box to Olayinka, he returned it on the left side of the penalty area to Jurásek who set up Ondřej Lingr on the opposite side of the box and our forward headed it into the net. 1-0.

Ballkani could not raise into the game until the 9-minute added time. First – after a long ball – Berisha fired from the edge of the box, the ball rebounded from the ground and Ondřej Kolář had to make a superb save to block it from under the crossbar.

Only a minute later the same player fired again on the far post after the corner, but Kolář dived to his right to deny him again!

Slavia thus defeated Ballkani 1-0. The Red-Whites have 7 points after 5 games, the same as Cluj, Sivasspor are 3 points ahead. Slavia play against the Turkish side next week at home.