Karviná vs Zemplín Michalovce

West made three changes at half-time and introduced Strnad and Vít Vavřík in the 55th minute. The fresh legs transformed Karviná's attacking intensity. Strnad's winner came just seven minutes after his introduction, a composed finish from the edge of the area that gave Jakubech no chance.

Michalovce pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages — Kalemi went closest with a shot that flashed just wide in the 89th minute — but Karviná's defence held firm.

Denny Samko — Scored the equaliser with a powerful long-range strike and was a constant threat down the right flank throughout. His energy sparked the second-half revival.

Matěj Strnad — The trialist made a decisive impact off the bench, scoring the winner within seven minutes of entering the fray. A composed finish from distance that will have impressed the coaching staff.

Adam Vodička — Made his senior debut in goal for Karviná and produced a crucial 1v1 save to deny Brosnan when the score was still 0-1. A solid foundation for the comeback.

Luka Lemishko — Took his goal well in the first half and was a persistent threat for Michalovce before being substituted.

Player of the match: Denny Samko.

The scoreline flattered Michalovce at the break. Karviná created the clearer chances in the first half — hitting the post, missing an open goal and forcing Jakubech into several saves — but trailed to a single sucker punch. The second-half display was a more accurate reflection of the balance of play, with the two goals coming from sustained pressure rather than isolated moments. Frequent substitutions on both sides (Karviná used 14 outfield players, Michalovce 13) disrupted rhythm in the final quarter but could not prevent Karviná from deservedly seeing out the win.

This was Karviná's first victory of pre-season under new manager Roman West, who took over a side now in the Czech second tier (Chance Národní Liga) after relegation. The result builds confidence after a 0-2 loss to Ekstraklasa side Wisła Kraków earlier in their training camp in Ustroń, Poland.

Zemplín Michalovce, preparing for the new Niké Liga season under head coach Anton Šoltis, fielded a strong XI including winter signing Rastislav Korba and trialist Park Tae-rang, but will want sharper finishing from their next outing.

Next up: Karviná face Považská Bystrica on Friday 10 July (16:30 CET). Zemplín Michalovce continue their pre-season schedule with a fixture against Kazincbarcika.

A deserved win for Karviná, who were the better side across the 90 minutes and showed the character to overturn a half-time deficit. The second-half response — particularly the impact of the substitutes — is exactly what new manager Roman West will have wanted to see from a squad blending established players with trialists. For Michalovce, the first 45 minutes offered encouragement, but the defensive lapses after the break will need addressing before the Niké Liga season begins.