Prešov secured a 3:1 victory over Trnava in the opening match of their playoff series to determine seventh place in Slovak basketball. The series follows a best-of-three format, with the second game scheduled for April 18 on Prešov's home court. Prešov now leads the series 1-0 and needs one more victory to claim the seventh-place ranking.
Paris FC secured a commanding 4-1 victory over AS Monaco in French league action. The win extends Paris FC's unbeaten streak to nearly two months and moves them up to 12th place in the league table, while Monaco remains in fifth position.
Slovak basketball teams Slovan and defending champions Patrioti Levice both secured victories in their opening playoff matches. Patrioti Levice dominated at home against Spišski Rytieri with a commanding 105-82 victory, while Slovan also advanced successfully in the elimination phase of Slovakia's top basketball league. The wins give both teams strong momentum as they pursue advancement in the playoff bracket of the country's premier basketball competition.
HC Slovan Bratislava defeated HC Košice 4-1 in the third game of their Tipsport Liga playoff semifinal series, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup. Slovan got off to an ideal start when Dmowski scored on a rebound from O'Connor's shot, marking his seventh goal of the playoffs to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The victory puts the Bratislava-based team one win away from advancing to the finals of Slovakia's top hockey league. The fourth game of the series is scheduled for Friday, April 10 at 17:30 at Steel Arena in Košice, where the home team will look to even the series.
Bojnice secured a decisive 41-27 victory over Košice in Slovak handball competition. In the group competing for positions 7th through 10th, Hlohovec celebrated a victory after defeating ŠKP Bratislava 33-31 in a closely contested match.
Samorin basketball team secured a 71-57 victory over Kosice in the opening game of their playoff series to determine seventh place in Slovakia's top basketball league. The series is played in a best-of-three format, with Samorin now holding a 1-0 advantage. The second game of the series is scheduled for April 15 in Kosice, where the visiting team will look to even the series or Samorin could clinch the higher playoff ranking with another victory.
Košice Wolves secured a 79-74 victory over Inter SB Bratislava in the first game of their playoff series. The basketball match saw Košice take a narrow 41-40 lead at halftime before maintaining their advantage through the second half to claim the opening win of the playoff contest.
The controversial legal dispute over the Slovak Football Association's iPhone case is continuing as the sports arbitration court involved has changed its statutes and is proceeding with the case. The ongoing conflict has drawn in participants across age groups, with some competitors being as old as 80 years. The Slovak Football Association (SFZ), which governs football in Slovakia, has been embroiled in this dispute that involves questionable judicial proceedings. The case appears to involve internal governance issues within Slovak football administration, though the specific details of the iPhone-related allegations remain part of the broader institutional conflict affecting the country's football governing body.
Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar's overwhelming dominance in professional cycling has divided fans into two camps, with one side celebrating witnessing possibly the greatest cyclist in history while the other argues his predictable victories have drained the sport of suspense. When Pogačar enters a race, the outcome is virtually certain, leading some to question whether cycling has lost its unpredictable nature. However, the upcoming Paris-Roubaix race presents a genuine possibility that Pogačar might not win, making it potentially the most exciting race of the year. The rare uncertainty surrounding Pogačar's chances in this classic one-day race has generated significant anticipation among cycling enthusiasts who have grown accustomed to his routine victories.
The ČSOB Bratislava Marathon has attracted 17,500 registered participants from 91 countries for its upcoming edition on April 11-12. The international field demonstrates the growing appeal of Slovakia's premier running event, which brings together athletes from across the globe to compete in the capital city. The marathon represents one of Bratislava's major annual sporting events, drawing both competitive runners and recreational participants to the streets of the Slovak capital.
Slovak forward Juraj Slafkovsky has reached the 70-point mark for the Montreal Canadiens, ending a 14-year wait for the franchise to have a player achieve this milestone. The achievement came during a period when Montreal has been focused on teammate Cole Caufield's pursuit of 50 goals, a feat the city hasn't witnessed in 36 years since Stéphane Richer accomplished it in the 1989-90 season at the old Forum arena. Following Slafkovsky's goal, Canadian television coverage showed archival footage of former Slovak NHL star Marián Hossa. The Bell Centre, which opened in 1996, has never before housed such exceptional offensive talent as the current roster featuring both Slafkovsky and Caufield, marking a renaissance period for the storied franchise's attack.
Slovak forward Juraj Slafkovsky scored the decisive goal with 64 seconds remaining in the third period to give the Montreal Canadiens a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 22-year-old forward ended a four-game goalless streak with his 30th goal of the season, helping Montreal secure the win in the closing moments of the match.
Aston Villa secured a 3-1 victory over Bologna in European League competition. Meanwhile, Freiburg dominated Celta Vigo with a commanding 3-0 win, putting the German club in a strong position to potentially surpass their previous European best performance of reaching this year's quarter-finals.
Bratislava's Slovan volleyball team won a grueling five-set match to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their playoff series against Nitra. The victory puts Slovan in a strong position as they head into the third game of the series, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, in Bratislava.
HC Slovan Bratislava secured a 4-1 victory over HC Košice in an away ice hockey match. The game marked the return of goalkeeper Kiviaho to Slovan's lineup for the first time since March 8, while the team played without defenseman Acolatse, who was absent due to suspension.
CBK Mersin's women's basketball team secured a trophy despite losing their return match against Athinaikos Vyronas 75-77, with the Greek team leading 43-38 at halftime. The Slovak team's tournament victory appears to have been determined by their overall performance across multiple games rather than this single match result.
Spanish club Rayo Vallecano secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Greek side AEK Athens in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final match. The Madrid-based team took control early, with Ilias Akhomach and Unai Lopez scoring in the first half to establish a decisive advantage. The comprehensive home victory puts Rayo Vallecano in a strong position ahead of the second leg in Greece, as they pursue a place in the semi-finals of UEFA's third-tier European competition.
Slovakia's women's tennis team secured a 3-0 victory over Croatia in doubles competition, with the pair of Hrunčáková and Mihalíková continuing their strong recent form. The Slovak duo dominated the match from the start, winning the first four games consecutively against their Croatian opponents. The victory extends Slovakia's successful run in doubles play, demonstrating the team's current strong momentum in international competition.
England's national football team will play their final two preparation matches in Florida, the English Football Association confirmed on Thursday. The venue announcement comes as England finalizes their pre-tournament preparations, though the specific opponents and dates for the Florida matches have not yet been disclosed.
A veteran marathon runner has offered advice for participants in the upcoming Bratislava marathon, emphasizing the importance of early morning preparation and dietary adjustments. The experienced athlete recommends avoiding fiber intake before the race, skipping Friday training sessions, and steering clear of fruit consumption in the lead-up to competition. The runner also highlighted specific challenges of the Bratislava course, describing Sad Janka Kráľa park as particularly treacherous for runners and advising participants to slow their pace when crossing bridges and running in windy conditions. The advice comes from someone who follows a strict post-race routine of never jogging immediately after completing a marathon.