Sparta Prague claimed their first win of UEFA Europa League Group K, beating CFR Cluj 2-0 to move into second place behind PSV Eindhoven. First-half goals by Juraj Kucka and Roman Hubnik helped the Czech side extend their formidable European home record to one defeat in their last eight as Romania’s Cluj suffered their second loss of the campaign.Jozef Chovanec’s side began the evening bottom of the group after a draw with PSV and a loss against Copenhagen, while Cluj had beaten the Danish side and lost 1-0 at PSV, lying second in the standings.
But Sparta had lost at the Sparta Praha Stadium just once in their last seven European home games – a 2-1 defeat by Panathinaikos FC in last season’s UEFA Champions League third qualifying round – before the contest and two first-half goals put them firmly in control against their Romanian visitors.
Cluj’s most recent away win in Europe was the victory at Roma in last season’s Champions League and they started strongly, almost taking the lead through Ciprian Deac after six minutes.
Deac met Juan Emanuel Culio’s outswinging corner with a powerful header which went narrowly wide.
The hosts took control thereafter, taking the lead after 14 minutes when Ondrej Kusnir’s cross from the right was met by Kucka, whose arrowed header found the bottom corner from six yards.
Kucka then turned provider as the hosts doubled their lead after 32 minutes.
The midfielder found Roman Hubnik and he fired a left-foot shot into the roof of the net from close range.
Sparta went close to adding to their tally four minutes after the interval when Vaclav Kadlec’s right-foot shot was parried by goalkeeper Simoes Nuno Claro.
