In a surprising turn of events, Plzeň's football team was eliminated from the MOL Cup quarterfinals after a debilitating 0:3 loss to Karviná. This defeat marks a continuation of their alarming performance decline, as they had lost by the same margin in the league just days earlier against Zlín. Emmanuel Ayaosi and Albert Labík scored two quick goals in the first half for Karviná, securing their lead early in the match, while a third goal from substitute Pavel Kačor in the 75th minute confirmed Plzeň's exit from the tournament. Karviná's advancement to the semifinals for the first time comes as a much-needed victory for them, especially after enduring five consecutive league losses previously. This shocking elimination of Plzeň is part of a broader trend in the competition, as two other favored teams, Slavia and Sparta, also faced early exits in the quarterfinals. Interestingly, this will be the first time since the 2014/15 season that the MOL Cup semifinals will not feature any of the three most successful clubs in Czech football history. With this loss, Plzeň has now gone five competitive matches without a victory, and their position in the league has dropped to fourth place. Coach Martin Hyský faced a particularly challenging moment against Karviná, having previously managed the team before his tenure at Plzeň, which adds a layer of drama to this unexpected defeat.