Both title contenders win while Haladás mission gathers pace

League leaders Ferencváros picked up their seventh victory in a row as they came from behind to defeat Mezőkövesd 2-1. Finding it difficult to break down a stubborn home defence, Fradi fell behind in the 18th minute as Stefan Dražić latched on to a deftly-chipped Gábor Molnár pass and fired past Dénes Dibusz on the half-volley. The visitors continued to press but had to wait until after the break before they equalised, Lasha Dvali heading home from a yard out following a Roland Varga corner. Fradi continued to dominate possession but twice had to rely on Dibusz to prevent Mezőkövesd from regaining the lead, before doing so themselves in the 80th minute. Substitute Lukács Bőle was the match-winner, chesting down a Marcel Heister cross and drilling home past Péter Szappanos.

Reigning champions Vidi also won 2-1 as they succeeded in holding on to Fradi’s coat-tails ahead of next Saturday’s top of the table clash at the Groupama Aréna. Armin Hodžić set them on their way after Szabolcs Huszti’s free-kick had come of a post in the 17th minute, but the home side were hemmed back by a resilient Újpest, Donát Zsótér almost equalising in the 36th minute as his long-range shot rattled the crossbar. The visitors continued to probe after the break, duly levelling in the 64th minute with Zsótér controlling a long-ball from Vincent Onovo with his thigh before rolling the ball home. Marko Nikolić responded by bringing on Márkó Futács, and the centre-forward repaid his faith by scoring the winner two minutes later, stabbing home a Loïc Nego cross.

Újpest remain third despite the defeat, two points ahead – on 46 points – of a Debrecen team which, 1-0 down to an early penalty from league top-scorer Filip Holender, were held 1-1 at Honvéd. Richárd Czősz levelled for András Herczeg’s side in the 32nd minute, but Loki had to make do with a point despite playing against ten men for the last half-hour following the red-carding of Honvéd’s Gergő Nagy. Honvéd, under new ownership this week, remain 5th, on 40 points.

Haladás, seemingly dead and buried having been 14 points from safety just six rounds ago, are now only four points from safety after recording their fifth win in six, against an illness-depleted MTK side. The more active attacking side, Haladás created numerous chances, Galin Ivanov, Rui Pedro and Michael Rabušic all coming close in the first half. Gábor Király was called into action to deny Szabolcs Schön and László Lencse after the break, MTK looking the likelier to score. With the game still scoreless, Haladás threw caution to the wind late on, and substitute Bálint Gaál grabbed the only goal of the match with five minutes to go, finishing coolly after being sent clear by Funsho Bamgboye.

Haladás now have 25 points, three less than second-bottom Diósgyőr and four less than 10th-placed Kisvárda, these two sides having played out a 1-1 draw at the Várkerti Stadion. The Miskolc side had taken the lead after quarter twenty minutes through a Lucas own goal and withstood a Kisvárda onslaught until second-half injury-time. Hugo Seco was the scorer, blasting home from the edge of the box after disarray in the visitors’ defence following a Brana Ilić free kick.

Both Paks and Puskás Akadémia remain in the relegation mix having played out a 0-0 draw. Paks sit 8th on 32 points, and Puskás Akadémia 9th on 31, Aurél Csertői’s side still with 6-pointers to play against Diósgyőr, Haladás and Kisvárda, and Puskás still to face Ferencváros, Vidi, Újpest and Honvéd.

OTP Bank Liga: Latest results and team lineups

Mezőkövesd 1–2 Ferencváros (HT: 1–0)
Goalscorers: MEZ: Dražić (18’); FER: Dvali (48’), Bőle (80’)
Mezőkövesd: Szappanos – Vadnai (Eperjesi, 46’), Pillár, Katanec, Silye – Meszhi, Iszlai – Moutari, Molnár G. (Koszta, 87’), Cseri (Vajda, 84’) – Dražić
Ferencváros: Dibusz – Lovrencsics G., Blažić, Dvali, Heister – Leandro, Haratin (Bőle, 78’) – Varga R. (Isael, 64’), Tokmac, Petrjak – Signevich (Böde, 68’)

Vidi FC 2–1 Újpest (1–0)
Goalscorers: VID: Hodžić (17’), Futács (71’); ÚJP: Zsótér (64’)
Vidi: Kovácsik – Nego, Juhász R., Vinícius, Stopira – Pátkai, Elek (Futács 69’), Huszti - Kovács I. Milanov (Hadžić 21’) – Hodžić (Nikolov 81’)
Újpest: Pajović – Balázs B., Litauszki, Ristevski, Burekovic (Nagy D. 80’) –Sanković, Kovács L. (Rácz B. 46’) – Onovo, Zsótér, Pauljević – Traoré (Solomon 87’)

Honvéd 1–1 Debrecen (1–1)
Goalscorers: HON: Holender (5’ pen); DEB: Csősz (32’)
Honvéd: Gróf – Batik, Lovric, Kamber – Fousseni (Ben-Hatira, 81’), Heffler, Nagy G., Gazdag, Uzoma – N'Gog (Danilo, 58’), Holender (Májer, 92’)
Debrecen: Nagy S. – Bényei, Pávkovics, Kinyik, Ferenczi – Haris (Damásdi, 82’), Csősz – Bódi, Tőzsér, Varga K. (Avdijaj, 72’) – Takács (Zsóri, 63’)

Haladás 1–0 MTK (0–0)
Goalscorer: Gaál (85’)
Haladás: Király – Habovda, Jagodics, Németh Mil., Mohl – Dausvili, Holodiuk (Németh Má., 80’) – Bamgboye, Rui Pedro, Ivanov (Gaál, 72’) – Rabusic (Ofosu, 62’)
MTK: Horváth – Katona, Balogh, Gengeliczki, Szelin – Pintér (Bognár, 46’), Vass Á., Vogyicska – Schön, Lencse (Diallo, 64’), Mihajlovic (Kanta, 46’)

Kisvárda 1–1 Diósgyőr (0–1)
Goalscorers: KIS: Seco (90+’); DIÓ: Lucas (20’ own goal)
Kisvárda: Felipe – Beriosz, Melnik, Kravcsenko, Protic – Lucas, Karaszjuk (Seco 46’) - Ilic, Cukalasz, Grozav (Negrut 84’) – Gosztonyi (Horváth 76’)
Diósgyőr: Antal – Polgár, Brkovic, Tamás – Sesztakov, Szabó, Márkvárt, Tajti (Mazalovic 57’, Vernes 71’), Juhar – Hasani (Mihajlovic 91’), Prosser

Paks 0–0 Puskás Akadémia
Paks: Nagy G. – Kővári, Lenzsér, Fejes A., Szabó J. – Windecker – Remili (Cseke, 84’), Kesztyűs (Egerszegi, 78’), Papp K., Bartha – Hahn
Puskás Akadémia: Hegedüs L. – Poór, Hegedűs J., Hadzsiev, Nagy Zs. – Kiss T. (Tamás N., 59’), Mioc, Urblík, Szakály P. (Latifi, 88’) – Arabuli (Radó, 77’), Vega