Speaking at the post-match press conference, Viktoria Plzeň coach Martin Hyský addressed concerns over the fitness of Nigeria international Salim Lawal after his side's impressive 3-0 road win over FC Hradec Kralove in a Czech Chance Liga encounter on Sunday, March 8.

A minute before halftime, Lawal expertly slotted the ball into the net from a tight angle after goalkeeper Adam Zadražil came rushing out of his penalty area in response to a long ball launched from near the centre circle.

It was the forward's second goal in Viktoria Plzeň colours following his winter move from Croatian outfit NK Istra.

Lawal was seen holding his knee after scoring, sparking worries about whether he will be fit for both club and country in the upcoming games.

“I don't have the most up-to-date information about the status of Lawal and Dweh right now, but I believe that we will do everything we can to ensure they are okay for the next match,” Hyský told reporters.

 Lawal timed his run perfectly to break the deadlock, a goal Hyský described as important, highlighting the importance of pace in his team's attack.

"We knew that we had speed up front, so we wanted to use those players in the runs and in the passes behind the defence.

"The first goal resulted from that situation. Salim Lawal timed that run perfectly, took advantage of it, and scored an important goal."

Lawal played just one minute at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, coming off the bench to replace Samuel Chukwueze in the Super Eagles 3-1 win over Uganda's Cranes. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel