Muntfeld took on HC Olomouc in a club friendly on Wednesday evening, and came out on top with a 3:2 scoreline. The result ends a run of mixed results for both sides heading into the new campaign. By then, the atmosphere was already building despite the early season timing.
Muntfeld's recent form had been uneven. They beat Jihlava 3:0 on their last outing, but before that they'd drawn and lost against Trinec in March. Olomouc, meanwhile, had taken a 2:0 win over Vitkovice in their previous match, though they'd struggled against Trinec throughout the spring.
And here's the thing about friendlies like this — you watch for the shape, not the scoreboard. Three goals to two doesn't tell you who dominated, only who was more clinical. The visitors held their nerve when it mattered, but the hosts had been the ones knocking on the door for most of the night.
What struck me was how both teams looked similar in their approach. Neither side threw bodies in the way or played for a draw. Olomouc ended their barren spell against Muntfeld's recent defensive solidity, even if the margin was razor-thin. The result keeps the friendly competitive rather than becoming a statement of intent.
To be fair, the standings mean nothing at this stage. Both clubs have just one competitive result to point to. What matters is the rhythm they found against each other — a game decided by a single goal after ninety minutes of back-and-forth. The old head settled them down in the final quarter, as it often does when legs get heavy.