Viktoria will challange Besiktas on Thursday night

Drawing the lots of the third qualification round of European league was cruel to Pilsner footballers. Viktoria will face Besiktas Istanbul, probably the most glorious Turkish team. Besiktas defeated without difficulty Vikingur Göta from the Faroe Islands in the second round. In Besiktas´s line-up you can find famous names such as Guti or Quaresma and Czech national team members Zapotocny and Sivok. Viktoria has to play its home bout in Prague at Letna Stadium because Pilsen stadium in Struncovy sady did not pass through the UEFA´s control. Both players and fans who will support their team in Prague are looking forward to this match. The rematch is scheduled for next Thursday in Istanbul. Another Viktoria´s opponents could have been for example Wisla Krakow or Olympiakos Pireus, Viktoria´s players wished Sturm Graz from Austria. Viktoria Plzen´s management arranged free transport to the capital for its fans.

Two Canadian backs are heading for Pilsen!

Pilsen fans can prepare the Canadian flags in blue-white version. Pilsen managment gained two defenders from overseas after Bomersback, Scofield and O´Brien left the team. John Slaney and Nicolas St. Pierre should belong to the main figures in Pilsen defence. The former Slaney (*1972) got much experience in NHL. He used to play for Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins (here played side by side with Martin Straka) and Philadephia Flyers. The native Newfoundland was drafted by Washington Capitals in 1990 on the first place. Slaney has ever been very prolific defender and gained a lot of points (in AHL gained 519 points in 631 matches!). He spent two last seasons in Frankfurt. The second asset of the team, 25-year old St. Pierre, was the captain of Colgate University team. Then the native of Quebec played in minor leagues in overseas (AHL and ECHL).

Viktoria snatched one point in the first season match

Pilsner footballers and fans were looking forward to the opening match in the season. They desired victory but they have to be satisfied with a tie. Olomouc led 10 minutes before the end 2:1 but Olomouc´s defender scored an own goal and the match ended up in a draw. The begininng of the match was not very exciting, only Rezek and Hubnik´s shots were worth mentioning. Pilsen exerted pressure on Olomouc and captain Horvath scored from the penalty kick. Pilsen created other goal opportunities in the second half but without a goal. After a wrong Rezek´s pass an inconspicuous away team tied. After a few minutes defender Janotka punished other wrong pass and Olomouc took the lead. The unlucky hero was Janotka. After a 30 seconds he scored an own goal and leveled the scored. Pilsner Hruska was in the clear a few minutes before the end but Drobisz parried the shot. Both coaches are not satisfied with the draw.

Motocross racer from Nyrany gained the silver medal in the European Championship

In the Netherlands´s town Rhenen the last race of European Championship (in motocross classis class) took place. Nyrany´s racer Karel Kozak did not start very well. In the training before the race finished 20th. The main reason was a problem with the pedal that was removed before the race. Kozak started from the 15th place in the first heat and finished the on the 4th place. Karel Kozak pushed his way the great second position and that insures him the second place in the series which is a great success.

Roman Kreuziger is doing well in Tour de France

24 years-old native of Pilsen Roman Kreuziger is doing very well in Tour de France. Pilsner racer can aim higher after last years´s 9th place and 12th place in 2008. Kreuziger made great in the eighth stage and finished on the fourth place, only Schleck, Sanchez and Gesink were faster. The son of the former junior World Champion in cyclo-cross hold the seventh place in the Tour! Kreuziger is 1 minute and 45 seconds behind leader of Tour Cadel Evans.

Skoda Plzen´s athletes are heading for major league

During extreme hot weather, SK Ctyri Dvory Ceske Budejovice organized the third round of athletics league at Pisek´s stadium. Skoda´s women coroborated their mastery in the competition. Throwers were the main figures because they won all their discipline and they did well also in the other. Pilsner athletes have a four-point lead in the competition which means a real chance on the major league.

Pilsner boxers gained silver medals

Pilsner boxers of BC Ondrej Stach under the guidance of Lubos Stach (I. class trainer) and Ondrej Stach (II. class trainer) fought out the second position in the men´s major league which is a great success. 8-member teams KO Brna, Brno–Lískovec, Ostrava, Most, Usti nad Labem and Pilsen fought ten matches (5 home and 5 away)
Results: BC Plzeň – BC Ústí n. Labem 10:6, BC Ostrava – BC Plzeň 8:8, BC KO Brno – BC Plzeň 8:8, BC Plzeň – BC Brno–Lískovec 8:8, BC Ústí n. Labem – BC Plzeň 10:6, BC Plzeň – BC KO Brno 10:6, BC Brno–Lískovec – BC Plzeň 10:6, BC Most – BC Plzeň 4:12, BC Plzeň – BC Ostrava 14:2 a poslední vítězství v zápasu sezony na domácí půdě BC Plzeň – BC Most 12:4.
Pilsner boxers thanks to the better score skipped Usti nad Labem in the standings and they can enjoy silver medals.

Looking back on jubilee Ex Pilsen Wilson Cup

The final match ended the jubilee 40th season of Ex Pilsen Wilson Cup today. Liam Broady, recent winner of Wimbledon´s junior doubles, was in the centre of attention. Left-handed British player defeated Razbrosek from Slovenia in the semifinal after a great battle 2:1. Broady faced Czech player Hradsky in the final. Hradsky (AGROFERT Prostejov) beaten two seeded players (Bogaerts and Brkic) on his way to the final match. Just as in the semifinal, talented Broady lost the first set but won the match again - 4:6,6:1,6:4 was the final score. Bambridge (Great Britain) and Styslinger (USA) gained the doubles title. Girls´s tournament was also very interesting. Top seeded De Vroome (Netherlands) was knocked out by Malova from Slovakia. In the other semifinal match Reka Müller defeated Nauto 12:10 in the third set´s tie-break. In the final match Malova was in better shape and beat Müller 2:1. Dvorakova and Krejcikova won the doubles in straight sets.

Pilsen fans will not see European league in their city

Viktoria Plzen´s fans were looking forward to seeing big famous European clubs. Viktoria´s triumphed in the Czech Cup and will play European league after long 39 years. Unfortunately, the stadium in Struncovy sady did not pass through the UEFA´s control. Viktoria will play at Letna stadium where Sparta Praha plays its home bouts. "That is a pity for the whole city" says general manager of Viktoria Adolf Sadek. Pilsner fans are disappointed and a little bit angry but they will support the team even in Prague.

Sparta fought out the first Czech Super Cup

Viktoria Plzen´s footballers did not reach the triumph in the first season of the Czech Super Cup. The Ondrasovka Cup winner Viktoria Plzen lost in the first year of this competition (with a long tradition in Europe) to Gambrinus league winner AC Sparta Praha. The begininng of the match was not very attractive. Only 3401 spectators saw the first interesting situation in the 28th minute. Milan Petrzela got by home defenders and Sparta´s captain Repka fauled. Red card was the result. Eventhough Pilsen was too passive, only Petrzela had two goal opportunities. In the second half Cameroonian Kweuke shot on the goalkeeper. Praguers punished Viktoria´s passivity in the 77th minute. Libor Sionko lobbed charging-out goaltender Krbecek. Rajtoral saw the red card at the end of the match.

Pilsner speedway racers notched up their first victory

The other round of team competition took place at Pilsner speedway stadium. Home Pilsen hosted AK Slany and fourth place in the standings was at stake. Jiri Brummer, Jan Holub, Filip Sitera and Polish racers Jacek Rempela and Piotr Dym were introduced to a hundred Pilsen fans. Thirteen basic heats plus superstructural rides were on the programm. Pilsner riders took the 25:17 lead after seven laps. Home racers won the basic heats 44:37. The main West-Bohemian hero was Jan Holub who added thirteen points to his score. Jan Holub won the last round and gained bay wreath. Pilsen obtained the fourth place in the standings.

40th season of Ex Pilsen Wilson Cup

In Pilsen courts Slavia Plzeb qualification matches of jubilee prestigious juniour tournament Ex Pilsen Wilson Cup are starting this Monday. "This tournament ranks with the oldest junior tournamants being played in the Czech Republic without interruption. Tournament has a long tradition and many winners from the previous seasons broke through in various world champioships," says the president of the Czech Tennis Federation Ivo Kaderka.
Tomanova, Chládková or Koukalová-Zakopalova triumphed there in girls tournament, among boys names such as Šmíd, Navrátil, Nováček, Damm or Cibulec. From the foreign winners let´s name Wimbledon winner in 2004 Sharapovova or Andreas Beck, former 33th player of the world.
Many players with renowned names went through this tournament eventhough they didn´t reach the title – Složil, Vajda, Korda, Štěpánek, Berdych, Novotná, Vaidišová, Šafařová. Native of Pilsen players such as Tomáš Šmíd (1973), Eduard Jahl (1980), Josef Čihák (1981), Irma Nováková (1979), Yvona Bendová (1980), Martina Koderová (1983), Lenka Humeníková (1992) and Andrea Hlaváčková (2004) rejoiced at their titles.

Pilsner rookies were not lost in NHL draft

Former charge of Pilsen hockey Petr Straka has placed the highest position of all czech rookies in this year NHL draft. He was chosen by Colombus Blue Jackets as 55th in the row. 21 places lower Straka´s team mate Jakub Culek was drafted. Culek was third of all Czech players, as second Czech back Radko Gudas was drafted.

Jan Kovar was announced the best rookie player of the Czech top competition

Pilsner center Jan Kovar was announced the best rookie player of the Czech top competition „O2 Extraliga“ during gala evening. Former charge of Pisek hockey club made 12 points in the regular season and stood out especially in the play-off, where he gained 7 points in six matches. Afterwards he was nominated for World Championship in Germany, where he finally sat on the bench. Kovar should be a support to Pilsen team next season.

Czech tennis championship

Czech tennis championship has been taking place in Usti nad Orlici since June 28. Pilsener Michal Schmid, top seeded player in men´s draw, lost in last 16 against Michalicka 0:2. In women´s draw top seeded Hladikova has not lost set yet. Except Schmid, two players from Pilsen appeared in draw. Tomas Urban, former winner of Pardubicka juniorka, retired from his second match against second seeded Lustig. The other Pilsener Miroslav Stengl sustained a debacle in the first round. In women´s draw Klára Kopřivová, native of Pilsen (she plays for Prostejov) was eliminated after she had retreated the match after four games. Neither Denisa Vydrova passed through the first round.

Bombardment finished their way to the title

Plzen-Litice´s field hockey players defeated Bohemians Praha in the second final match at their stadium and they can celebrate their first title in the Czech competition. Litice won the first match on penalty 3:2. In the second case home players had the match under control from very beginning. Litice scored four goals in the first half and added three hits in the second half. David Vychron stood out with hattrick. Plzen-Litice followed up two silver and one bronze with a gold medal.

Litice´s line up:
Vokurka – Straka, Soukup, Brada, Poustka, Rumplík – Jurina, T. Koryťák, J. Koryťák, Levý – Vychron, Dolejš, Nicklas, Sochor, Strejc.

Pilsen players in Wimbledon

The third Grandslam tournament in this season has begun in Wimbledon on the June 20. There were several players in women´s draw their career has started just in Pilsen. Eva Birnerova was beaten by Croatian Lucic in the second qualification round. Andrea Hlavackova, 147. Player in the world, was doing better. After she managed three rounds in qualification Hlavackova defeated last years´s winner of Wimbledon´s junior competition Lertcheewaka 6:3,6:2. Her triumphal way ended in the match against Vera Zvonareva in the second round. Sandra Zahlavova, another Pilsen player, lost just in the first round. Suprisingly, Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova won two matches, her way ended in the third round against former winner Maria Sharapova.