Karviná Fall to Opava in Silesian Derby as Second League Season Kicks Off

Karviná suffered a 0:2 defeat to Opava in the Silesian derby that opened the first round of the Chance Národní Liga, the Czech second division. The match drew 2,059 spectators — five more than turned up for Friday's clash between Dukla and Česká Lípa.

Lacík broke the deadlock in the 44th minute, scoring right before the break. Karviná's troubles deepened in the second half when Fleišman picked up a second yellow card and was sent off in the 65th minute. The hosts made their numerical advantage count nine minutes later, with Čejka's goal in the 71st minute sealing the win for Opava.

Notably, Karviná's players took the field in shirts stripped of sponsor logos: a wave of partners abandoned the club in the wake of a corruption and match-fixing scandal.

The squad underwent major changes over the summer, with several players moving up to first-league clubs, while others Karviná managed to hang on to are also drawing interest from stronger sides. "It's not easy. The lads have their own ambitions, and some of them would like to leave. We're trying to talk to them so they want to play for Karviná. As for our style of play, we want to build on what we did last season," said the club's new head coach, Roman West.

After the opening round, Opava and Dukla share top spot in the standings — the only two teams to have won by a two-goal margin. Karviná, meanwhile, sits bottom of the table alongside Česká Lípa, still without a point.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz