Latvia national team forward Marko Regža made his debut in the Czech top division as Hradec Králové suffered a 0-1 away defeat to Sigma Olomouc.
The 27-year-old striker officially signed with Hradec Králové in mid-January, marking the first move of his professional career abroad after several seasons in Latvia’s top flight. Regža arrives in the Czech Republic following three consecutive prolific seasons with Riga FC, during which he scored at least 16 league goals each year.
In the first match of the Czech championship following the winter break, Regža began on the bench. After a goalless first half, the hosts Sigma Olomouc took the lead in the 51st minute, capitalizing on a counterattack to score the game’s only goal.
Shortly after conceding, Hradec Králové introduced the Latvian forward, with Regža entering the match in the 61st minute to record his Czech top-flight debut. He came close to an immediate impact in the 76th minute, when he received a pass inside the penalty area and struck a first-time shot, but Sigma’s goalkeeper reacted sharply to deny him.
The scoreline remained unchanged until full time, as Hradec Králové opened the second half of the season with a narrow defeat. Following the loss, the club stays in eighth place in the Czech First League standings, with 27 points from 20 matches.
Regža and Hradec Králové return to action next Sunday, when they face Dukla Prague. The fixture will also feature a Latvian head-to-head, as Regža goes up against national team teammate Rihards Matrevics, Dukla’s goalkeeper.
