OTP Bank Liga: Paks post much-needed win

OTP Bank Liga, 18th round:

Kisvárda Master Good 1–2 Ferencváros (HT: 1–1)
Kisvárda, ref.: Erdős
Goalscorers: KIS: Obradovic (39.), FTC: Boli (28.), Isael (85. pen)
Yellow cards: Hej (26.), Melnyik (68.), Lucas (78.), FTC: Lovrencsics (85.)

Kisvárda: Dombó – Melnyik, Beriosz, Rubus, Hej – Lucas, Karaszjuk (Viana, 46.) – Obradovic (Sassá, 61.), Cukalasz, Bumba – Grozav (Gosztonyi, 85.)
Ferencváros: Dibusz – Lovrencsics, Blazic, Otigba, Civic (Heister, 83.) – Sigér (Somalia, 61.), Haratin – Zubkov, Tokmac (Varga, 78.), Isael – Boli

The visitors dominated the first half and took a 28th-minute lead through Frank Boli but that was the cue for hosts Kisvárda to come back into the match, an equaliser coming through Obradovic six minutes before half-time. Although Fradi had five shots at goal, they only scored once, while the hosts' only effort on target yielded the same reward.

The second half was a more even affair, both coaches attempting to freshen up their teams by using all three substitutions, but it eventually became apparent that the home team would settle for a draw and this proved to be their downfall, Berios fouling Roland Varga inside Kisvárda's penalty area and Isael converting the resultant spotkick to hand his table-topping team the points.

Budapest Honvéd FC 1–2 Mezőkövesd Zsóry FC (1–1)
Új Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion, ref.: Iványi
Goalkeepers: Moutari (29. pen), MEZ: Nagy D. (40.), Besirovic (50.)
Yellow cards: Batik (21.), Banó-Szabó (23.), Cipf (26.), Kesztyűs (42.), Uzoma (62.), MEZ: Vadnai (18.), Guzmics (29.), Besirovic (76.), Szappanos (87.)

Budapest Honvéd: Tujvel – Batik, Kamber, Lovric – Uzoma (Kálnoki-Kis, 85.), Hidi, Banó-Szabó (Ikenne-King, 78.), Kesztyűs, Kukoc – Cipf (Mayron, 65.), Moutari
Mezőkövesd: Szappanos – Farkas, Guzmics, Neszterov, Vadnai – Berecz, Karnyicki – Cseri (Mesi, 87.), Besirovic (Katanec, 93.), Nagy D. (Jurina, 80.) – Zivzivadze

The club from Kispest took immediate control of the match and were rewarded with a 29th-minute lead from the spot, Moutari successfully dispatching a penalty after Guzmics' handball, but Daniel Nagy tucked away a rebound after Tujvel's initial save from Zivzivadze's 40th-minute effort to level the scores before half-time. The second half saw the visitors move into the ascendancy and again it was Zivzivadze at the heart of their success, battling for the ball and setting up Dino Besirovicé to stroke the ball into the far-left corner of the Honvéd net to give Mezőkövesd a lead they wouldn't relinquish, despite late pressure from the hosts.

Honvéd have now gone five matches without a win - two draws and three defeats - and they haven't won at their temporary home of the Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion since 14th September. Mezőkövesd were four matches without an away win before this fixture but have now contributed to a statistic which shows that seven of the last nine matches between the two sides have been won by the away team.

Paksi FC–ZTE FC 2–0 (1–0)
Paks, ref.: Bognár
Goalscorers: PAKS: Kelemen (25.), Böde (78.)
Yellow cards: PAKS: Gévay (30.), Balogh B. (37.), Lenzsér (45+2.), Poór (55.), Rácz (93.), ZTE: Radó (45+2.), Bobál G. (93.)

Paks: Rácz – Gévay (Poór, 46.), Osváth, Kulcsár D., Kelemen – Könyves (Hahn, 74.), Szakály D. – Lenzsér, Balogh B., Bertus – Böde
Zalaegerszeg: Demjén – Bolla (Katelaris, 74.), Bobál D., Lesjak, Bedi – Kocsis G., Mitrovic – Radó (Barczi, 80.), Stieber, Babati (Ikoba, 59.) – Bobál G.

Paks were under pressure from the outset, Zalaegerszeg earning three corners in the first six minutes and creating several good chances within the first twenty minutes, amongst them a Radó shot which struck the crossbar and a close-range header over the bar from Bedi. The visitors would rue these missed chances after 25 minutes when Dávid Kelemen was left all alone to head a left-wing corner into the net at the back post. Overall, the first half was an even one but Paks were certainly more clinical.

That was the case in the second half too, Lesjak missing with a back-post header and Rácz saving well from substitute Ikpoba and from Lesnjak, before Dániel Böde took the ball past away-team keeper Patrik Demjen and slotted the ball into an empty net to double his side's lead. There was still time for a Zoltán Stieber free-kick to cause concern for the hosts but even that was slightly off-target as it too struck the crossbar, Paks ultimately taking the plaudits and the points.

Diósgyőri VTK 2–0 Kaposvári Rákóczi FC (2–0)
Miskolc, ref.: Solymosi
Goalscorers: DIÓ: Brkovic (20.), Fodor (22. own goal)
Yellow cards: DIÓ: Kiss T. (64.), KAP: Fodor (8.), Jakimiv (32.), Ádám (46.)

Diósgyőri VTK: Danilovic – Sesztakov (Vági, 37.), Polgár, Brkovic, Tamás M. – Márkvárt, Iszlai – Hasani, Rui Pedro (Egerszegi, 81.), Kiss T. (Cortes, 67.) – Ivanovski
Kaposvári Rákóczi FC: Pogacsics – Vachtler (Zsiga, 46'), Hegedűs D., Tarasovs, Fodor – Nagy J., Jakimiv (Trebotic, 68.) – Nagy R., Szakály A., Balázs – Ádám (Palic, 63.)

An even start to the match soon made way for Diógyőr dominance, a Brkovic header putting the hosts ahead on 20 minutes and a Fodor own goal doubling the advantage five minutes later. Those two quick blows rocked Kaposvár but they stayed in the game and unexpectedly nearly halved the deficit just before half-time. That was as good as it got for the visitors though as they were unable to test Diósgyőr's goalkeeper at all during the second period, despite having more possession of the ball.

Puskás Akadémia FC 0-0 Debreceni VSC
Felcsút, ref.: Berke
Yellow cards: Slagveer (33.), Knezevic (35.), Szolnoki (81.), Mebrahtu (95.), DEB: Bényei (17., 89.), Kinyik (28.)
Red card: Bényei (89.)

Puskás AFC: Hegedüs – Szolnoki, Meissner, Hadzsiev, Deutsch L. – Urblík, Knezevic (Vanecek, 64.) – Favorov (Plsek, a szünetben), Mebrahtu, Slagveer (Sós, 71.) – Gyurcsó
Debrecen: Kosicky – Bényei, Kinyik, Pávkovics, Ferenczi J. – Bódi, Kusnyír (Csősz, 71.), Haris (Baráth, 75.), Varga K. – Adeniji (Trujic, 55.), Szécsi

Neither side grabbed ahold of the first half, Gyurcsó going close for the hosts while at the other end, Hegedüs saved Szécsi's effort following a defensive error and Adeniji missed his volley with the goal gaping, thus the deadlock remained unbroken at the break.

Both teams seemed to be more dangerous in the second period, Jakub Plsek unlucky to find visiting goalkeeper Tomas Kosicky in fine form in the 69th minute, for example, while for Debrecen, Nikola Trujic broke through but could only roll his shot marginally wide of the far right post. Debrecen's Balázs Bényei saw red in the 89th minute for a second bookable offence and in added time, Jozef Urblík struck the base of the right post with a rasping 20-metre drive but in the end the two teams had to content themselves with a point each.

Újpest FC 0–1 MOL Fehérvár FC (0–0)
Szusza Ferenc Stadion, ref.: Pintér
Goalscorer: Petrjak (84.)
Yellow cards: Heris (51.), FEH: Fiola (79.)

Újpest: Banai – Pauljevic, Heris, Litauszki, Burekovic – Simon (Perosevic, 77.), Onovo (Koszta, 89.), Nwobodo, Calcan (Bjarnason, 57.), Zsótér – Novothny
Fehérvár: Kovácsik – Fiola, Juhász R., Musliu, Stopira – Pátkai, Elek (Bamgboye Funsho, 84.) Houri, Kovács I., Milanov (Petrjak, 62.) – Futács (Hodzic, 72.)

Neither side impressed in a turgid first 45 minutes, Futács volleying over Újpest's bar from ten metres and Calcan shooting weakly at Banai with the half's only chances.

Fehérvár proved to be braver in attack in the second period, Banai tipping Houri's excellent free-kick onto the crossbar in the 51st minute and Stopira heading the ball onto the bar and over from the rebound, while for Újpest, Zsótér saw his fierce free-kick turned over by Fehérvár keeper Kovácsik. The game's key moment came six minutes from time when Újpest's defensive hesitancy allowed Fehérvár substitute Petrjak time and space to step onto fellow replacement Hodzic's pass and place his low, right-foot shot just inside Banai's far left post, a goal which earnt his team all three points.

This was Újpest's fifth defeat in nine home matches but Fehérvár's fine away form continues, seven wins and two draws from their nine fixtures meaning they remain unbeaten on the road this season.