Slavia Prague took a three-point lead in the Czech League with a 2:1 win over Pardubice on Sunday. The hosts kept their perfect start intact while the visitors remain winless after seven games. And here's the thing — it wasn't the performance you'd expect from the league leaders.
Pardubice struck first through T. Solil in the 52nd minute, catching Slavia off-guard after the interval. To be fair, the visitors had been patient, knowing they couldn't match their opponents' passing volume. Slavia's keeper made two saves to keep them level, but the momentum was shifting.
M. Chytil turned the match around in the 80th minute. That's when you could feel the stadium change — Slavia had been waiting for this moment all evening. Pardubice threw bodies forward, but their goalkeeper was called into action three times. By then, the home side had created four big chances against none for their visitors.
The statistics tell a familiar story. Slavia held 74 per cent possession with 540 passes, while Pardubice managed just 195. The hosts fired 21 shots with only 15 per cent accuracy — plenty of effort, not enough precision. Pardubice were more clinical with their four attempts, hitting the target three times.
Slavia now sit top with 17 points from seven games, five wins and two draws. Pardubice languish in 15th place with just two points and no victories. The result extends Slavia's recent form — they've won four of their last five matches, losing only to Slovan Bratislava away.