Sparta Praha vs Zlin
Sparta Praha secure solid home win
A. Irving and A. Karabec lead Sparta to a 3-1 victory over Zlin
Sparta Praha took control early with A. Irving's opener at 14 minutes and extended their lead after the break despite L. Haraslín missing a penalty. Zlin pulled one back through D. Šmiga, but Sparta responded quickly with two more goals, including a penalty from A. Karabec. The 3-1 result matched Fipster's prediction of a home win, albeit with a slightly wider margin than forecasted.
Analysis
As the Czech league season kicks into gear, Sparta Praha face off against Zlin in what promises to be a competitive encounter. Both teams are yet to find their footing in the early stages, making this match a crucial opportunity to claim their first points.
Historically, Sparta Praha have dominated this fixture, winning 11 of the 14 meetings against Zlin. However, early season form is far from settled, with both sides yet to register a win or points in the league. This match could set the tone for their campaigns.
Sparta Praha's strength lies in their ability to threaten from set-pieces, notably through defender John Mercado, who scored in the last away match and plays the full 90 minutes regularly. Midfielder Andy Irving's high passing volume suggests Sparta will control possession and create chances. Meanwhile, Zlin have struggled offensively, failing to score in their opening game, which could limit their threat. Both teams have full squads available, so no injury concerns should affect the outcome.
Prediction
Expect a cautious first half with no goals, followed by a tight second half where Sparta Praha's attacking edge and set-piece prowess see them clinch a 2-1 victory. The match is likely to be competitive, with around four cards issued as tempers flare in this early-season tussle.
Outcome probability
Match factors
Home defense's offensive threat from set-pieces
John Mercado's goal-scoring from defense adds an extra attacking dimension for Sparta Praha
Home midfield dominance in passing
Andy Irving's high pass count (78) suggests Sparta Praha controls possession and creates chances
Away team struggling to score
Zlin failed to score in last match and have low offensive output, limiting their scoring chances
No confirmed injuries for either team
Both teams have full squads available, so no impact from missing players expected
Key Takeaways
Sparta Praha's historical dominance and current attacking threats give them the slight edge, but Zlin's resilience means this won't be a stroll in the park. Fans should brace for a spirited contest with a narrow home win the most probable outcome.
- Sparta Praha have won 11 of 14 head-to-head matches against Zlin.
- Head-to-head games average 2.9 goals, indicating moderate scoring.
- Both teams have yet to earn points this season, reflecting early uncertainty.
- John Mercado scored in the last away match and is a key offensive threat from defence.
- Andy Irving leads Sparta Praha with 78 passes last match, showing midfield control.
- Zlin failed to score in their opening league game, highlighting offensive struggles.
- No confirmed injuries for either team, so full squads are expected.
- Prediction confidence stands at 35% for a Sparta Praha win.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — Sparta Praha
Away — Zlin
Form as the teams went into this match — excludes this result and anything since.
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
Petruta
Yellow Card
Irving
Ulbrich
Yellow Card
Haraslín
Missed Penalty · Assist: Haraslín
Kanu
Šmiga
Goal
Assist: Suchomel
Sochurek
Haraslín
Karabec
Penalty
Unknown
Petruta
Unknown
Karabec
Alcócer
Appiah
Ulbrich
Bartošák
Yellow Card
Hollý
Yellow Card
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Slavia Praha | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +9 | 9 |
| 8 |  Bohemians 1905 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 |  Sparta Praha | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 10 |  Baník Ostrava | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -4 | 3 |
| 15 |  Karviná | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 |  Zlin | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 0 |
Match Statistics
Sparta Praha
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 2M. SuchomelD
- 7J. AlcócerM
- 10A. KarabecM
- 17J. MercadoD
- 18A. IrvingM
- 19A. ŠevínskýD
- 22L. HaraslínM
- 25A. SørensenD
- 38H. SochurekM
- 44J. SurovčíkG
Substitutes
- 3P. KadeřábekD
- 5Santiago EnemeM
- 9J. KuchtaF
- 11M. RynešD
- 21J. GrimaldoF
- 24D. HollýM
- 29M. VojtaF
- 30J. ZelenýD
- 36G. KuolM
- 47K. HegyiG
Zlin
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 4T. UlbrichM
- 10S. PetrutaM
- 14S. KanuF
- 17S. DostálG
- 20F. AppiahM
- 22M. FukalaD
- 23M. KopečnýD
- 24J. ČernínD
- 26M. CupákM
- 39A. KřapkaD
- 82M. PišojaM
Substitutes
- 9D. ŠmigaF
- 11A. GažiM
- 13F. DornakM
- 18M. ToureF
- 21D. GrygeraD
- 28J. KolářD
- 31L. BartošákD
- 37T. FojtuM
- 53T. HellebrandM
- 64Stepan BachurekG
- 88T. PoznarF
Sparta Praha
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Irving | M | 94 | 8.2 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 1/1 |
| Adam Karabec | M | 83 | 8.2 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2/2 |
| Asger Sørensen | D | 94 | 8.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Hugo Sochurek | M | 62 | 7.3 | — | — | — | — | — | 2/3 |
| Jakub Surovčík | G | 94 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| John Mercado | D | 94 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Josimar Alcócer | M | 83 | 6.3 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1/3 |
| Adam Ševinský | D | 94 | 6.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lukáš Haraslín(C) | M | 62 | 6.0 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 5/5 |
| Martin Suchomel | D | 94 | 5.9 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 0/1 |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Joao Grimaldo | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Krisztián Hegyi | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jan Kuchta | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jaroslav Zelený | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pavel Kadeřábek | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Matěj Ryneš | D | 32 | 7.3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Garang Kuol | M | 11 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Santiago Eneme | M | 32 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Matyáš Vojta | F | 21 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dominik Hollý | M | 11 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Zlin
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanislav Petruta | M | 67 | 6.7 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| Miloš Kopečný(C) | D | 94 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tom Ulbrich | M | 83 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Stanley Kanu | F | 45 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Frank Appiah | M | 83 | 6.2 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2/3 |
| Stanislav Dostal | G | 94 | 6.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Michal Fukala | D | 94 | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Michal Cupak | M | 94 | 6.0 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Antonín Křapka | D | 94 | 5.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Marián Pišoja | M | 67 | 5.2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0/3 |
| Jakub Černín | D | 94 | 5.2 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Tomas Fojtu | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stepan Bachurek | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Moustapha Toure | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| David Grygera | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Filip Dornak | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jakub Kolar | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Daniel Šmiga | F | 49 | 7.3 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| Tomas Hellebrand | M | 27 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lukas Bartosak | D | 27 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Adam Gaži | M | 11 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tomáš Poznar | F | 11 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |