Hodonin Out For a Hero - Donkeys and Sunshine on the Border

Hodonin - a town of oil apparently

It's been a rough year health-wise to say the least. Instead of my planned groundhop at Uhersky Brod last week, I spent my entire weekend (and a bit of Monday morning) at Nemocnice u Svate Anny due to, thankfully, what was just a kidney stone. I was relieved to find, at least, that the game I'd planned to attend had finished goalless. 

I was also relieved to essentially have the kidney stone problem sorted, barring some appointments in the not too distant future, and some (TMI) mild urinary discomfort for the foreseeable. Given the random illness that ruined my trip to Slovenia in December, and the pneuomonia that I picked up in Romania, I was hoping this would just be a case of things coming in threes, and this kidney stone being the third and final piece of medical nonsense.

In all honesty though, it's the first time in my life I've actively considered at least trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, so hopefully there are silver linings to all of this. It also felt only right that I curb the longer trips, at least until I've had my last hospital appointment and this clears up, meaning a trip to Hodonin less than an hour away would be next.

Before all of this, I did make plans to spend a week in Poland, and perhaps fly home for my 30th birthday in *checks Stevenage fixture list* Bolton, but both Poland and Bolton will have to wait for another time. For the time being at least, I imagine the majority of the football I watch will be between these here Czech borders.

Speaking of which, I did actually take a trip to Hodonin back in 2023 en route to Skalica in Slovakia, which gives you an idea of just how on the border Hodonin actually is. We arrived too late to get the bus from Hodonin in time for kick-off, so naturally we took a nice two hour hike across the Slovak border before taking a 3 minute train the rest of the way - it was a heck of an adventure!

But it seems long overdue that I should return and watch the football team in Hodonin, who ply their trade in the third tier (the regional MSFL), and play host to Karvina's B-Team in this particular match-up. Both sides occupied different ends of the table, with the hosts way up in fifth. Meanwhile, Karvina B were in danger of dropping into the fourth tier - they sit fourteenth, only a couple of places and points above Slovan Rosice in the drop zone.

As for Hodonin's recent history, they've pretty much become an MSFL mainstay, without yet threatening to make the jump to the second tier - this season would be their highest position yet if they can maintain it, with two sixth placed finishes in 2018 and 2023. 

The stadium, which is essentially one huge stand...

A nice bit of advertising in the centre of town.

Hodonin 1-0 Karvina B - 12th April 2025

I boarded the 10:36 to Hodonin, even managing to finish the excellent A Passage North by Sri Lankan author Anuk Arudpragasam before arrival. The irony of travelling south whilst finishing a book with that title is perhaps an irony I'm only just recognising now. I opted against visiting the Arsenal Cafe opposite the station for reasons I'm sure I don't need to explain. I would never tarnish my reputation like that.

Disgusting (sorry to the owners - I'm sure it's lovely, but...yuck).

Earlier in the week, I'd noticed the zoo was practically nextdoor to the Stadion u cervenych domku, meaning that I had the perfect manner in which to kill a few hours prior to the half three kick-off. It was around a twenty minute walk north from the station, with entry at around 170 korun or so - it's definitely worth it if you want to do something a little different alongside your groundhopping!

Rather amusingly, the zoo's donkey could be heard braying from the ground, which could have added some comedy to proceedings if they had timed it right. As it was, the donkey's timing was awful - there were about seven sitters (and a penalty) missed between the two sides, yet the donkey passed no comment. For shame.

In all seriousness, it was quite a brilliant game given the low scoreline, with a 245-strong crowd in attendace, all of whom were almost certainly here for the hosts given that Karvina's main side were taking a 4-0 hammering at home to champions' elect Slavia Prague. 

Despite those aforementioned sitters, and a Karvina B penalty slightly against the run of play (missed by Pavel Brzoska), somehow both teams went in level. Hodonin struck the post on two occasions, with Karvina B somehow conspiring to miss chances that looked easier to score.

The deadlock was broken in the 54th minute by David Kratochvilla with a lovely header from a pinpoint cross, when for all intents and purposes, it looked as Karvina B had some kind of forcefield around their goalmouth. Ondrej Schovanec had the game of his life between the sticks, with the away side also demonstrating the art of last-ditch defending magnificently. 

Sadly it was a tale of what could have been for the Bs, as they took their passage north without anything to show for their efforts. As we speak, Slovan Rosice are playing Znojmo, and a win for them would put Start Brno in the relegation zone. Given that Karvina B are level on points with Start, it really piles on some pressure. 

As for Hodonin, they move up to fourth, which would be a new high should they end the season there. Though the stadium is merely one massive (and steep) stand, the forest backdrop with occasional planes flying overhead make for an excellent day in the sunshine, with surprisingly entertaining football to boot.

Five things you didn't know about Hodonin:

1.) The first ever Czechoslovak president, T.G. Masaryk, was born in Hodonin - a man who is essentially considered the founding father of the nation.

A statue of Masaryk near the station.

2.)  The city is also known for its history with oil extraction, with the town even boasting a Museum of Oil Extraction and Geology.

3.) As far as famous people from the town are concerned, Hodonin boasts Iveta Vacenovska, a table tennis champion, as well as Vitezslav Vesely, a Javelin champion and bronze medal winner at the London Olympics in 2012.

4.) The football club FK Hodonin were founded in 1994, undergoing numerous name changes during their brief history, including FK Sardice and RSM Hodonin. Their current name has been in place since 2014, with the club making a fairly swift ascent through the divisions from the sixth tier in 2007 to where they are today. That said, in 2009-10, they finished 13th in the fifth tier, yet took Banik Sardice's place following their expulsion from the league.

5.) Back in 2021, Hodonin was subject to a freak tornado, which tragically claimed the lives of six, causing 576 injuries in total. It was the deadliest tornado to hit Europe in twenty years.