Soccer Football - Champions League - Sparta Prague v FC Salzburg - epet ARENA, Prague, Czech Republic - September 18, 2024 Sparta Prague's Qazim Laci celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates REUTERS/David W Cerny
(Reuters) - Sparta Prague made a strong return to the Champions League on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over RB Salzburg in their first game in Europe's top club competition in 19 years.
Sparta grabbed an early lead that set the tone of the league-phase opener at the epet Arena as home fans celebrated their team's first win in the tournament since 2003.
The hosts opened the scoring just two minutes in when Kaan Kairinen pounced on a loose ball after a great save by Salzburg's keeper Janis Blaswich to effortlessly slot home the rebound.
Victor Olantuji doubled the lead in the 42nd minute, firing in from a tight angle after a long ball from captain Filip Panak, before assisting Qazim Laci to make it 3-0 with a coolly struck finish after a blunder by the Austrian side's defence in the 58th.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; editing by Clare Fallon)
