Infoinsport.com – After earning a creditable 0-0 draw in the Danish capital, Sparta Prague will be hosting Copenhagen at Stadion Letna on Tuesday for the second leg of their Champions League third-round qualifying battle.
When they met on Scandinavian soil last week, neither side had a way through, which left Sparta with a great chance of breaking their recent third-round curse before a potential playoff match against Aris Limassol or Rakow Czestochowa.
After ending a miserable nine-year streak without a Czech top-flight crown last season, Sparta Prague started their journey to secure a spot in the Champions League proper last week. Despite being underestimated by many, they proved themselves on the Parken Stadium turf.
Brian Priske’s team only had three shots on target during the entire game, but Copenhagen’s wastefulness also had consequences for them, resulting in a hard-fought draw that surely made Priske the more satisfied manager.
The smile on the face of the coach, who was born in Denmark, would have only grown brighter when Sparta faced Jablonec in their top-flight match on Saturday. His team easily won with a score of 5-1 away from home, making it four victories in a row in the 2023-24 season.
There were numerous individual masterclasses over the weekend, with Martin Vitik scoring two goals from the back, Qazim Laci providing three assists, and Kaan Kairinen scoring one goal and assisting in two more as Sparta scored five times during an exhilarating first-half display.
The five-star drubbing successfully puts Sparta in a good position for the second leg as they try to prevent a fifth consecutive elimination in the third round of Champions League qualifying. It is worth noting that two of these eliminations occurred after the Maroons had tied the first leg. However, it is definitely a realistic goal for Sparta to make their first group-stage appearance since 2005-06.
After scoring eight goals against Briedablik, a small Icelandic team, in the second qualifying round, Copenhagen was unable to overcome Sparta’s strong defense. This resulted in their perfect start to the new season in both domestic and continental competitions coming to a sudden halt.
The Lions returned to their usual form with a victory in the Danish Superliga over the weekend. This win has helped them maintain their position as the top team in the Danish Superliga standings. However, it was not a match that will be remembered as exceptional, as Jacob Neestrup’s team had to come from behind to defeat OB 2-1.
Copenhagen’s dominance proved to be insignificant when Charly Horneman scored and put OB in the lead after 57 minutes. However, Lukas Lerager, who came in as a substitute, quickly equalized just three minutes later. Finally, Elias Achouri secured a last-minute victory for his team in the 90th minute, completing an unexpected comeback.
After completing a four-game homestand, Copenhagen is now heading to Prague. They have emerged victorious in their last six competitive away matches in all competitions, scoring a minimum of two goals in all but one of those games. Over the past 15 years of European Cup qualifying, they have only experienced a single third-round elimination.
Sparta Prague vs Copenhagen Prediction
Sparta Prague possible starting lineup:
Vindahl Jensen; Vitik, Sorensen, Krejci; Wiesner, Kairinen, Laci, Zeleny; Sadilek, Kuchta, Haraslin
Copenhagen possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Jelert, Vavro, Diks, Sorensen; Lerager, Falk, Goncalves; Achouri, Larsson, Elyounoussi
Sparta Prague 1-1 Copenhagen (a.e.t, Sparta to win on penalties)
Although Sparta showed a determined defensive performance in the first leg, the Czech champions will probably need to demonstrate more offensive ambition in order to maintain their European aspirations. This could make them vulnerable to a goal-scoring Copenhagen.
Although we believe there will be a few goals in this competition, it remains challenging to determine a clear victor. However, with the support of the Prague crowd, Sparta has the potential to advance from the penalty spot and move closer to the group stage.
