Jablonec secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Slovácko in the Czech League's Regular Season round 3 on Sunday. The match was defined by its disciplinary problems rather than attacking fluency. Both sides saw players sent off, yet the home team managed to hold firm and claim all three points.
M. Heca was the first to go off after just seven minutes, reducing Slovácko to ten men early. The visitors tried to build momentum through M. Havlik, who came on as a replacement at the nine-minute mark. Slovácko's numerical advantage did not last long, however, as M. Polidar received a second red card for Jablonec before half-time at 45+4.
The match settled into a cautious rhythm after the interval. A. Rusek came on for Jablonec in the 46th minute as both sides adjusted to playing with fewer men. The decisive moment arrived in the 62nd minute when M. Cedidla found the net, giving his side the lead they would not relinquish.
Statistics tell a story of limited chances on both sides. Each team registered two shots on target and created zero big chances. Jablonec held 60 per cent possession but could not convert their dominance into further goals. The hosts completed 451 passes compared to 295 for the visitors, yet neither side broke through defensively.
O. Ceesay was then sent off for Slovácko in the 83rd minute, leaving the visitors with just nine men for the final stretch. Both teams made several substitutions in the closing stages, with J. Suchan, S. Nebyla, P. Blahut, A. Dolznikov, M. Travnik and others brought on.
The result moves Jablonec further clear in the table. They sit seventh with 10 points from six games, having won three and drawn one. Slovácko remain rooted to 14th place with just three points from seven matches, having failed to win any of their seven outings this season.