sparta see off asteras to qualify published: thursday 26 november 2015, 21.10cet sparta praha 1-0 asteras jakub brabec's first-half header sent sparta into the knockout rounds at the expense of their nearest rivals asteras in group k. by ondrej zlámal from stadion letná
sparta qualify for knockouts for third time in seven uefa cup/uefa europa league group stages jakub brabec scores on 33 minutes with precise header from borek dockal corner czech international lukáš vácha returns to action after 98-day injury lay-off nicolás fernández hits post with early cross-shot for greek side final group k games: apoel v sparta praha, asteras v schalke (10 december)
sparta praha qualified for the uefa europa league knockout rounds after a narrow win over asteras tripolis, their nearest rivals in group k.
jakub brabec's solitary first-half goal sufficed for sparta to extend to 12 games their unbeaten home run in this competition. the defender's all-important contribution came in the 33rd minute, heading borek dockal's outswinging corner into the bottom corner. the resulting victory lifts zdenek šcasny's team five points clear of third-placed asteras, with section leaders schalke still two better off.
however, the first big chance had belonged to asteras, nicolás fernández rattling the right upright with a cross-shot. sparta replied with kehinde fatai's close-range effort that kostas theodoropoulos saved with his legs.
dockal, from distance, also forced two good saves from the keeper before setting up brabec's breakthrough. a second goal might have arrived on 58 minutes when david lafata's close-range header was kept out by theodoropoulos, and lafata was then centimetres from turning in fatai's centre.
with staikos vergetis's side carrying a threat on the counter, home midfielder lukáš vácha did a good job shielding the defence on his comeback from a knee injury, although pablo mazza and apostolos giannou spurned decent openings for the visitors. even after sparta went down to ten men with ladislav krejcí's 82nd-minute dismissal, they were unable to capitalise – with the now-qualified home team the beneficiaries.
