Slovan Liberec booked their place in the next round of the Cup by beating Pšepře 2:0 at home on Wednesday evening. The Round of 64 tie was decided by goals from A. Soliu and Q. Zyba, the latter arriving from the penalty spot. By then the visitors had already put the game to bed early enough to avoid any nerves.
Soliu made the difference in the fifth minute, giving Liberec a lead they would not relinquish. The hosts tried to respond but could not build anything meaningful. To be fair, the away side controlled possession and territory from the opening whistle, and their structure showed in the way they moved the ball.
Liberec made three changes at half-time, bringing on L. Masek, V. Shaibu and F. Faye. Pšepře responded with their own substitutions, trying to find a way back into the match. The visitors held a high line and the home side ran out of legs chasing it, which is why the second goal came so late in the game.
The breakthrough arrived in the eighty-first minute when Q. Zyba converted a penalty. It was not the moment anyone expected, but Liberec had earned the spot-kick through sustained pressure. The hosts were already out-thought on the touchline, and the result was never really in doubt after that.
Liberec dominated the numbers with 64 per cent possession and 103 attacks compared to the hosts' 86. They registered eleven shots on target against six, and took nineteen corners to the home side's two. The statistics tell the story of a team that fancied their chances and delivered when it mattered.
Pšepře are now out of the Cup, while Liberec advance to face whoever emerges from the other ties. The visitors have kept three clean sheets on the spin in recent matches, and this performance added another reason to fancy their run in the competition.