Mlada Boleslav vs Dukla Praha

Playing under intense heat at the Letní stadion in Benátky nad Jizerou, Dukla created the game's first real chance in the 11th minute when Matěj Kroupa met a corner at the back post, only to see his header cleared for another corner, per the official Dukla Praha match report.

Mlada Boleslav responded through Matouš Krulich, who fired over from a promising position inside the opening quarter-hour. Roman Teterya then tested the Dukla goal with a low shot from the left wing, and Michal Šubert forced a save from stand-in goalkeeper Daniel Bašta just past the half-hour mark.

Bašta — a 19-year-old former Dukla B-team goalkeeper — had been thrust into action after starter Adam Jágrik was substituted following a heavy collision with Mlada Boleslav centre-back Ondřej Karafiát before the 20-minute mark.

The deadlock was broken three minutes before half-time. Dukla lost possession near their own box and David Kozel — a former Dukla midfielder — punished them with a ferocious strike into the top-right corner that left Bašta with no chance.

Half-time brought a complete reset: both sides made all 11 substitutions at once, sending out entirely fresh XIs for the second period.

The second half was cagey, with few clear openings until the closing stages. Jiří Klíma and Jan Jinoch both fired off-target from distance for Boleslav. Dukla's best response came from Diego Velasquez, whose long-range effort whistled just past the post.

Six minutes from time, Jinoch — whose father once served as Dukla's sporting director — sealed the result. Picking up the ball outside the area, he unleashed a shot identical in trajectory to Kozel's opener. This time Bašta got a hand to it but could not keep it out.

Jágrik's enforced departure inside the opening 20 minutes was a defining moment. The experienced goalkeeper's injury — caused by a collision with Karafiát — forced 19-year-old Daniel Bašta into his first senior action of pre-season. Bašta performed creditably, making several saves, but the disruption to Dukla's organisation was palpable and Kozel punished a defensive lapse before the interval.

• David Kozel (Mlada Boleslav): Scored the crucial opener against his former club, showing composure and technique to find the top corner from the edge of the area.
• Jan Jinoch (Mlada Boleslav): Came off the bench at half-time and settled the contest with an emphatic second goal in the 84th minute, matching Kozel's finish almost exactly.
• Daniel Bašta (Dukla Praha): Thrown into the deep end at 19, the young goalkeeper made several sharp saves (denying Teterya and Šubert in the first half) and could not be faulted for either goal, both struck into the extreme corners.

Player of the Match: David Kozel — his opener shifted the game decisively in Boleslav's favour.

No cards were shown in the fixture, reflecting its friendly nature. The 22 half-time substitutions — 11 per side — are typical of pre-season run-outs, meaning the starting XIs faced each other only for the first 45 minutes. Mlada Boleslav's greater sharpness in the final third was the decisive margin: they took their two clear-cut chances while Dukla's best openings (Kroupa's header, Velasquez's drive) went begging.

Mlada Boleslav advance to the final of the Mayor of Benátky nad Jizerou Cup on Saturday 27 June, facing the winner of the other semifinal between Jablonec and Vlašim. Dukla Praha will contest the third-place match against Vlašim at the same venue on Saturday at 11:00 local time (kick-off TBC). For Dukla, this was the first outing of their 2026/27 pre-season programme as they prepare for the upcoming Chance Národní Liga campaign, which begins at home against Arsenal Česká Lípa on the weekend of 25–26 July.

A textbook pre-season friendly for Mlada Boleslav: controlled, efficient, and decided by quality finishes from Kozel and Jinoch. Dukla showed resilience after losing their goalkeeper early but lacked the final-third incision to trouble a Boleslav side operating at a higher level of the Czech pyramid.