Fradi bow out of Europa League with draw away to Ludogorets

2019. december. 14., 22:52 |

Requiring victory to progress to the knock-out stages, Ferencváros were behind for much of the match before a late equaliser from Nikolai Signevich. The Hungarian champions finish their group in third place with seven points, thus failing to become the first Hungarian team to achieve European football after Christmas since Debrecen in 2003/04.

Requiring victory to progress, Serhiy Rebrov’s men gave a spirited performance in Razgrad, taking the match to their opponents from the start, and were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty in the 20th minute when the ball appeared to strike the hand of Ludogorets right-back Cicinho. Ludogorets also looked dangerous in attack and took the lead in the 24th minute when a wayward Endre Botka pass was intercepted and Marcelinho played in Jody Lukoki to dink the ball past Dénes Dibusz.

Ferencváros continued to attack after falling behind, but although they pegged Ludogorets back, they failed to create clear goalscoring opportunities in the first half other than Abraham Frimpong’s 37th minute shot off the post.

Ludogorets came out strongly after the break, but the second half soon became a midfield battle, neither side able to test their opponents’ goalkeeper. Isael had the best chance for Ferencváros, scuffing his shot wide in the 68th minute after being set up by Tokmac Nguen, and the Brazilian forced a fine save out of Plamen Iliev in the 82nd with a shot from distance. Time wasn’t on Fradi’s side though, and the more they threw into attack the greater the chance was of Ludogorets hitting them on the break, as evidenced in the 90th minute when Miha Blažič made a great saving block to deny Marcelinho.

Two Fradi substitutes eventually combined to find an equaliser deep in time-added-on, Nikolai Signevich scoring with a header from Michal Škvarka’s cross, but there was no time left in which to launch any last attack. The result means that Ferencváros finish third in the group behind Espanyol and Ludogorets, their seven points constituting a record tally for Hungarian clubs in a group stage.

Ludogorets 1-1 Ferencváros

Goalscorers: LUD: Lukoki (24’); FER: Signevich 90+5’)

Ludogorets: Iliev – Cicinho, Terziev, Grigore, Nedyalkov – Marcelinho, Anicet Abel, Badji – Wanderson (Dyakov, 85), Keșerü (Ikoko, 91), Lukoki (Tchibota, 77)
Ferencváros: Dibusz – Botka, Frimpong, Blažič, Heister – Kharatin (Ihnatenko, 84), Sigér (Škvarka, 79) – Isael, Nguen, Zubkov – Boli (Signevich, 84)