Vaclav Cerny leaves his mark on Beşiktaş's Hradec Kralove victory: Czech press headlines the goal

In the third qualifying round of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League season, Beşiktaş overcame Hradec Kralove with the same score in both matches. Having won the first leg away 1-0, the Black and Whites secured their ticket to the play-offs with a 1-0 victory in the return leg in Istanbul.

The goal that secured the qualification for Beşiktaş, managed by Vincenzo Italiano, came from Czech footballer Vaclav Cerny. Following the match, the Czech press gave extensive coverage to both Hradec Kralove's exit from the Europa League and Cerny's decisive performance.

CERNY EMPHASIS IN THE CZECH PRESS

Sport CZ announced the match with the headline, "Cerny ensures Hradec is defeated by Beşiktaş for the second time." The report stated that Hradec Kralove kept their qualification hopes alive for a long time in the atmosphere in Istanbul but were unable to finish their attacks.

In the same assessment, attention was drawn to Cerny's strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 40th minute, where he bypassed the Czech defenders. It was noted that after the play, in which goalkeeper Adam Zadrazil struggled to intervene, Beşiktaş reached a two-goal aggregate lead and relaxed.

iSport commented on the match, saying, "What was expected to be a big day for all of Hradec in front of 40,000 spectators did not happen." The report used the phrase, "Ironically, hopes were extinguished by a goal from a Czech player."

iDNES also wrote that the Czech team was eliminated from the Europa League after two defeats against Beşiktaş, reminding readers that Hradec Kralove failed to find the net in both matches. While Cerny was described as the "hero of the match" in the report, his contribution to the defense and the opportunities he created for his teammates were also highlighted.

Ruik stated that Hradec Kralove did not look bad in Istanbul, but that it was not enough for qualification. The report included the comment, "Vaclav Cerny destroyed Hradec Kralove's Europa League dream."

TN reported that Hradec struggled with finishing, just as they did in the first leg. The report also mentioned Orkun Kökçü's shot that hit the post in the 26th minute and noted that Cerny's goal at the end of the first half eased the pressure on Beşiktaş.

With this result, Beşiktaş will continue their journey in the Europa League in the play-off round. Hradec Kralove, after bidding farewell to the Europa League, will compete in the Conference League play-off round.

News Source: 12punto