Cup Party in Vykáň: Dukla Avoids an Upset, Beats Lower-Division Club 3:0

The Czech village of Vykáň hosted a historic MOL Cup match for its local football club against Prague's Dukla, which ended in a 3:0 win for the visitors. More than 800 spectators turned out for the game, held to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of FC Čechie Vykáň.

Dukla, who competed in the top league just last season and now play in the second division, faced a regional-division side in what turned out to be one of the most talked-about fixtures of the cup round. The stands drew notable names from Czech football, including Petr Rada, Lukáš Jarolím (who once played for Vykáň himself), Günter Bittengel, and Zdeněk Šmejkal Jr., now an assistant coach at Mladá Boleslav.

Bets, Kids and Family Fans

The match drew interest not only from locals but also from players and officials of nearby and far-flung clubs. Fan Petr Nedbal from Sadská admitted before kickoff that he'd placed a thousand crowns on a Vykáň win at odds of 13. "I've been a Vykáň supporter for a long time and was hoping for a win," he said. But Dukla struck as early as the fourth minute, and hopes for a winning bet quickly faded.

Among the spectators was eight-year-old Jaroslav Výšata from Chrást, who, after the visitors' quick goal, predicted a final score of 3:10. His prediction didn't come true, but he said he thoroughly enjoyed the match regardless. The Doležal family from Kolín also made the trip — their son Damián keeps goal for Dukla, though he stayed on the bench for this match. "We love football and travel to a lot of matches. Today we're cheering for Vykáň," said Radka Doleželová.

A Historic Occasion for the Club

Despite Dukla's clear favorite status, the evening was a special one for the home side and its supporters. The match coincided with FC Čechie Vykáň's 100th anniversary and marked the biggest event in the club's history. "We played in the divisional league back in 2017–2018, but this match against Dukla is the club's greatest achievement ever," said club chairman Václav Brindza. He also noted that the football stadium serves as a cultural hub for the whole village.

Dukla comfortably advances to the next round of the cup, with head coach Pavel Šustr giving playing time to squad members who usually see less action. "Those who didn't play on Friday got a chance to show what they can do. These matches aren't easy — lower-league sides have nothing to lose and want to prove themselves," he commented. According to Šustr, the game was tight, but Dukla managed to score a second goal in the second half and take full control. On Friday, Dukla face a tough test against Slavia's B-team.

Ali Hindi Sajef scored twice in the match. "He's shown good qualities and has real potential, even though he hasn't fully adapted to our style of football yet. We're working with him, and he's definitely a promising player for the future," the second-division coach noted.

Final score: Vykáň — Dukla Prague 0:3. The goals were scored by Hindi (4th and 64th minutes) and Škanelec (55th minute). The first half ended 0:1.

Around Prague, based on reporting by nymbursky.denik.cz