Kovar wins title with Sparta Prague
Young Manchester United goalkeeper Matej Kovar is celebrating, after clinching the Czech title with Sparta Prague on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old kept a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw at Slovacko, which was enough to confirm a record-extending 37th top-flight crown for Sparta.
Kovar and his fellow Reds are three points ahead of Slavia Prague in the five-match championship group with a game to play, but their city rivals cannot now overtake them, despite a 3-2 comeback victory at Sigma Olomouc.
Even if the teams finish level on points, Sparta will win on the tiebreaker as they finished top during the 30-game regular season.
🇨🇿 Congratulations to on-loan goalkeeper Matej Kovar, who has been crowned champion of the Czech Republic top flight with Sparta Prague 👏🏆#MUFC || #MUAcademy https://t.co/lClSrkU46m
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 23, 2023
Kovar, who was a member of the travelling squad for our tour to Thailand and Australia in 2022, has helped Sparta to end a nine-year title drought, with Slavia and Viktoria Plzen having had a stranglehold on the league in recent seasons.
Matej signed for United from Slovacko in 2018 and returned to his homeland last summer, with the loan spell at epet ARENA following on from time spent in the EFL with Swindon Town and Burton Albion.
He has been an ever-present for Brian Priske's side since the deal was confirmed in September, playing 27 league games, keeping 10 clean sheets and losing just once.
Kovar has been called up to the Czech Republic senior team on several occasions in recent years and, although he is yet to make his debut, he'll hope to be in the reckoning for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers with the Faroe Islands and Montenegro.
Congratulations, again, to you and your team-mates, Matej.