The Cup final opposed – as ever – the winners of the Czech and the Slovak Cups. Sparta (Prague) vs DAC Dunajska Streda – given Sparta’s domineering squad and from, it looked like the winner was practically known in advance… but the Slovaks did not think so.
They fought fiercely their more famous opponents,
even had scoring chances and the final ended 0-0 after extra time.
In the penalty shoot-out the underdog prevailed 3-2.
It was amazing victory – no wonder the team rushed to celebrate their coach Pecze.
And their quite anonymous captain Kristof got the Cup.
That was it – the moment for posterity.
Sparta was unable to win a double – quite strange, even disappointing, given the squad they had coached by no other but Vaclav Jezek. Even their assistant-coach Jozef Jarabinsky was big name… and they lost. But they were still the strongest team in the country and going to stay on top, so after all – no bog deal they lost the Cup final – it was bad luck, to a point, and the championship was much more important.
The winners. Sitting from left: Tibor Micinec, Dusan Abraham – assistant coach, Karol Kristof, Karol Pecze – coach, Juraj Majoros, Frantisek Urvaj – assistant coach, Gabriel Bertalan.
Middle row: Miroslav Gaspar – doctor, Jozef Horvath, Jan Hodur, Jozef Medgyes, Stanislav Vahala, Jan Vesely, Frantisek Toth, Petr Kaspar, Peter Bartos, Alexander Stadrucker – docotor.
Top row: Peter Soltes, Rudolf Pavlik, Tomas Kosnovsky, Dusan Liba, Lubos Sramek, Stefan Simoncic – masseur, Dusan Lesko, Peter Fieber, Vladimir Brodziansky, Jan Kapko, Peter Michalec.
DAC Dunajska Streda – or DAC 1904, or DAC Polnohospodar, or just Dunajska Streda – was old club, founded in 1904, in small town near the Hungarian border and traditionally supported by the Hungarian minority in Slovakia. But this was mostly local pride and ethnic loyalty – the club was hardly heard of otherwise and until 1985 never played top level football. In fact, they did not play even Second Division football until 1980-81 – but after that it was steady climb up: 2nd in the Slovak league of Second Division in 1982-83 and 1983-84, and then first and promoted in 1984-85. Finished 11th in their first ever season in First Division and right after that – 4th and winning the Czechoslovak Cup. It was amazing development, considering that the club depended on local players, so far unknown and some still more familiar with third level wilderness than rubbing shoulders with the stars of the time. It was not just good luck giving them victory over a team with world-famous coach and full of national team players – the underdog was tied and sturdy outfit. With success, individual qualities were suddenly recognized and some players made the Olympic team, if not the A national team. And it was not accidental success, one-time-wonder, either – DAC Dunajska Streda was going to stay among the strong Czechoslovak teams until the country dissolved into two separate states. An amazing story of small club from small town, which had not only ambition, but good organization and management too.
One more photo of the team at the moment of their greatest ever triumph is a must.