Chomutov Grits Out Statement Win at Meteor Praha, Cracking the Promotion Race Wide Open

In the brisk October air at Sportovní Areál Libeň, Chomutov carved out a victory that may ripple through the rest of the 4. liga – Divizie B season, toppling hosts Meteor Praha 1-0 and throwing the fight for top-two positions into sharper focus.

Both clubs entered the contest in the heart of a congested table, Meteor Praha holding second place by a hair—17 points in nine matches—while Chomutov lurked just behind, a single point and two places off the pace. Now, after a contest defined by fine margins and battling defenses, Chomutov leapfrogs into the thick of the promotion chase, dragging the league into an even tighter knot.

Early Nerves, Late Drama

The opening passages bore the tension of a match heavy with meaning. Meteor Praha’s recent form had been a paradox: a thunderous 6-1 victory at Olympie Březová, but also a deflating 1-3 loss at Tempo Praha last time out—a reminder of how quickly fortunes can pivot. Chomutov, meanwhile, arrived on the back of two wins and a shutout streak that has underscored their reputation as one of the division’s toughest sides to breach.

Chomutov’s game plan was evident from the first whistle: compress space, break with purpose, and stifle Meteor’s rhythm in midfield. Meteor controlled much of the first half’s possession, but struggled to coax openings from a disciplined Chomutov back line led by the imposing figure of captain Radek Bláha. The first real chance fell to Meteor’s Lukáš Suchý midway through the half, his low drive from 18 yards parried away by Chomutov keeper Ondřej Němec.

But it was Chomutov who grew bolder as halftime approached, twice testing Meteor goalkeeper Petr Dvořák on the counter, first through Jan Moravec and then, more menacingly, via a swerve from winger David Vít. Both times, Dvořák held firm, keeping the home side level as the sides broke for the interval.

The Decisive Moment

The breakthrough, when it arrived, was a testament to persistence rather than poetry. In the 64th minute, Chomutov earned a corner after relentless pressure on the Meteor left flank. Vít’s outswinging delivery was met by substitute midfielder Jakub Novák, who escaped his marker and steered a glancing header inside the far post—a goal as much willed into being as orchestrated. For Chomutov, it was a payoff for their measured aggression; for Meteor, a rare lapse in set-piece concentration whose consequences might linger well beyond the final whistle.

Meteor pressed for an equalizer, committing numbers forward through the tireless running of Jan Beneš and Pavel Kovář. Twice in the closing stages, Chomutov’s defense—anchored by Bláha and the young fullback Tomáš Hrubý—smothered half-chances in the box. In the 83rd minute, Meteor’s calls for a penalty when Kovář tumbled under contact were waved away by referee Milan Jelínek, much to the vocal frustration of the Libeň faithful.

A flashpoint arrived with just four minutes remaining. Chomutov’s Michal Mareš, booked earlier for time-wasting, was shown a second yellow for a rash late tackle on Meteor’s Tomáš Ulrich, leaving the visitors to see out stoppage time with ten men. Meteor surged again, but Chomutov’s defensive discipline held firm through seven tense added minutes.

Shifting Stakes and Standings

The significance of Chomutov’s win reverberates through both locker rooms. For Meteor Praha, the defeat—just their third of the campaign—snaps a modest home unbeaten run and exposes the fragility that shadowed their recent draw with Karlovy Vary. They remain on 17 points, only a single point clear of Chomutov, and now potentially vulnerable to the chasing pack with the league’s midpoint approaching.

Chomutov, steadying after early-season inconsistency, claim their third straight victory and their second consecutive shutout. With 16 points from nine matches, they surge into fourth but are now only a single win from overhauling Meteor in the standings. The head-to-head edge may yet prove decisive come spring, especially as both clubs harbor ambitions of ascending to the 3. liga next year.

Meteor and Chomutov have often played tight, hard-fought contests in recent campaigns, but rarely with this much at stake so early in the season—a rivalry that appears poised to shape the top of the table through the winter months.

What Lies Ahead

For Meteor Praha, the path forward grows steeper: not just in the grind of the league but in the psychological work of rebounding from a bruising home defeat. Their attacking fluency, so evident against Březová, must return quickly if they are to cling to their promotion ambitions. Defensive discipline on set pieces—the Achilles’ heel today—will be under fresh scrutiny.

Chomutov, meanwhile, have found a rhythm and identity that makes them a threat to any side in Divizie B. How they handle the absence of Mareš, suspended for next week, and manage the expectation that now accompanies them, will be the next test.

The top of the 4. liga – Divizie B table is now a game of inches and nerve. For Meteor Praha, the call is to regroup; for Chomutov, to seize on a statement victory that shifts the dynamics of a season still very much in the balance.