Slavia won the thirteenth match at home out of thirteen possibilities, and at least until Sunday afternoon, they leapfrogged second-placed Sparta by three points.
And the 29-year-old Slovak all-rounder scored for the first time since September, when he suffered a skull fracture in the cup match against Ballkani.
“Sure, I was hurt, but I still waited an awful long time. It is very important to me. I am an offensive player, I always scored goals. I needed it.”
He ran onto teammate Douděra’s crossed cross, broke through defender Chvátal at the back post and hit the ball with his head. During the traditional celebration, he pointed his hands to the sky – he dedicates the goals to his father, who died tragically in the fall of 2021.
It was his third goal of the league season. He scored against Zlín last summer and against České Budějovice in mid-September. In the subsequent Conference League duel in a running duel with Sinanim, he fell to the turf and the opponent inadvertently hit him with a knee in the temple area.
The autumn ended for him, he did not start until the end of January in the opening round of the spring part. Against Jablonec, he started as a right defender and it wasn’t that. He was substituted at half time.
He didn’t even succeed in the duel in Teplice, again he lasted only half, this time he started in the middle of the field. Only then, in the matches with Pilsen and Slovácko, did coach Trpišovský entrust him with the position of right wing.
Against Olomouc, he replaced the suspended Olayink on the left side. He looks set to stay there until the Nigerian winger serves his four-match ban, which includes the Sparta derby.
Coach Trpišovský about Schranz“Ivan Schranz was such a false Peter for us in the match. He replaced Olayinka in everything, he scored a goal and had an assist, he was one of our best players in the first half and his running performance was at a high level. It is likely that during Peter’s absence, Ivan will take his place. We are really satisfied with the way he managed it against Olomouc.” |
“We didn’t discuss it with the coach in any detail. The coach knows what he can expect from me. I’ve played almost everything and everywhere. I tried to replace Peter. He was in great form so it will be extremely difficult. I hope it worked out against Olomouc, not only for me but also for the whole team,” reflected Schranz.
“I felt good. I don’t care if I play left or right. I’m at home on the wing,” Schranz pointed out.
More often, he gets in front of the opponent’s goal, where he is dangerous. He showed it against Olomouc. The Slavists struggled in the first half. “Olomouc defended well and it was difficult for us to get there,” explained Schranz.
In the third minute of regulation, Douděra correctly closed the back post, got in front of the poorly defending Navrátil in the slide and passed to van Buren in a goal chance. He made it 1:0. It was liberation for Slavia.
“The locker room goal was extremely important for us. It usually happens that the first goal opens up the match a bit. Then we played better, we had it easier,” he noted.