Norwegian Forward Bruns Saves Sparta with Debut Goal, Stands Erupt in "Rowing" Celebration

Sparta Prague beat Zlín 2:1 at home thanks to a debut goal from Norwegian striker Jonatan Braut Bruns, who had signed with the club just a week earlier. The match drew an impressive crowd of nearly 18,000 spectators.

A week before, Sparta had suffered a genuine shock: in the season's opening round, they lost 1:3 away to league newcomers Zbrojovka Brno. Everyone was stunned — fans, players, coach Ondřej Priske. And, by all accounts, Bruns himself: the cousin of Manchester City star Erling Haaland had signed with Sparta just hours before that match, meaning he could only watch from the stands as a spectator.

Whatever he saw clearly didn't sit well with him — because less than a week later, now in the starting lineup, the Norwegian showed his teammates exactly how the game should be played. In the first half, it was Bruns who won a penalty, though Lukáš Haraslín failed to convert it. Things got worse after the break: capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Sparta, Daniel Šmiga equalized for the visitors. Zlín's celebration, however, was short-lived.

That's when it became clear why Sparta had turned to football's famous family and brought in the player — perhaps not as dazzling as his Manchester City cousin, but clearly good enough for the Czech league. After a superb pass from Suchomel, Bruns didn't hesitate for a second, leaving Zlín's sluggish defenders with no chance — 2:1. Adam Karabec sealed the match with a converted penalty, succeeding where his Slovak teammate had earlier failed.

Bruns caught the attention of fans and experts far beyond Czechia. "A goal in his very first match, two penalties won, a standing ovation when substituted — and the stands were completely enthralled by his performance," noted Polish youth-team coach Andrzej Gomolysek. Footage of the Norwegian's goal was also shared by Norwegian football commentator Johan Sjøbakk Lund.

But it was the celebration Sparta's fans staged in honor of their new favorite that drew even more attention worldwide. Shortly after the 25-year-old forward's winning goal, the stadium — packed with nearly 18,000 fans — launched into the now-famous "rowing" chant, the same one Norwegian supporters performed at every match during their national team's World Cup run, which went viral around the globe.

The "Ro! Ro! Ro!" chant once again made international headlines, catching the eye of, among others, the popular French social media account Stadium Traveller on X, known for sharing standout moments from football stands worldwide.

Still, neither Bruns' successful debut nor the spectacular celebration could mask the problems still visible in Sparta's play. "Sparta played slowly and looked lost — it took Zlín's goal to shake them into action," one sports journalist observed, praising both the Norwegian and Adam Karabec. Other commentators pointed to an excessive number of fouls and criticized the performance of the full-backs.

The Czech national team's new head coach, Santi Denia, was also watching closely. Whether what he saw will be enough against tougher opponents than Brno or Zlín will become clear on Tuesday, when Sparta begins its Champions League qualifying campaign against Lyon.

Read also: Brno: What to See and Where to Go

Around Prague, based on reporting by denik.cz