Kladruby saw off Sokol Hostouň 4-0 in the Round of 128 of the Cup on Tuesday evening. The visitors were always in control, never really troubled despite the hosts' frantic energy. It was a clean sheet performance that spoke of preparation rather than luck.
J. Lacko opened the scoring in the 40th minute, and here's the thing — it wasn't a fluke. The away side had been probing all half, and when the chance came, he made it count. The goal shifted something, though neither manager seemed surprised by it.
After the break, Kladruby played the second half a man up in spirit, if not in numbers. Lacko added his second in the 59th, and by then the tie was effectively over. The hosts had their moments — 116 attacks compared to the visitors' 124 — but nothing came of the urgency.
J. Vanek made it three in the 75th, and D. Gembicky sealed it with a late strike in the 90th minute plus two. Three yellow cards between them, nothing more. Hostouň held their nerve until the end, but the result was never in doubt once the second half began.
The statistics tell a familiar story. Possession sat at 57 percent for Kladruby, yet it was the efficiency that mattered. Four shots on target yielded two goals for the hosts, while the visitors converted five attempts into four goals. Chances went begging elsewhere, but not tonight.
This was a step forward for Kladruby after a draw with Opava on Sunday. Hostouň, meanwhile, had won their last three before this — 2-0 against Slav Vyšehrad, 2-1 over Sparta Prague II, 3-2 against Sokol Zapý — but the Cup doesn't care about momentum. The draw brought them together early, and the stronger side went through.