Jet-Sol Liga final: MTK retain trophy and claim take eighth title

This is the fourth year in a row that Ferencváros and MTK have contested the Jet-Sol Liga Women's championship final, Fradi taking the spoils in 2015 and 2016 and MTK prevailing last year. This year already marked a historic moment because never in the era of best-of-3 championship finals has one actually gone to a third, deciding match. It was different this season though, MTK recovering from a third-minute concession in the first leg to win 3-1 away at Ferencváros before the green-and-whites took revenge in the second leg with a Mosdóczi penalty which kept Fradi's league title hopes alive.

The third and final match was held on Friday at 5pm at the Sándor Kocsis Sports Centre in Ferencváros.

The first half was rather attritional and never really exploded into life, both teams ensuring safety came first and no goals were conceded. Events took a turn for the better in the second half though, MTK being first to threaten when Szabó cut in from the left wing and shot from the corner of the penalty area, only just missing the far top corner of the net with her effort.

There would be no such mercy shown by Ferencváros with their first opportunity in the 53rd minute though, a long clearance finding Allegra Poljak via the head of Turányi who then raced all the way to the edge of the six-yard box before storking the ball into the bottom-right corner of the net.

To MTK's credit, the goal didn't dishearten them and indeed they were able to equalise within a few minutes, Barbara Tóth arriving at the left side of the penalty area at the perfect moment to divert Anita Pinczi's pass into the bottom-right corner of the Fradi goal in the 56th minute.

Less than a minute later, Ferencváros had the chance to regain the lead but Zlidnis's fierce shot from a central position was tipped over the crossbar by MTK keeper Réka Szőcs. A further four minutes later, Polja and Mosdóczi's neat interplay led to another chance for the hosts but MTK's defence held firm and cleared. The game turned decisively just after the hour mark when Diána Csányi forced a save from FTC custodian Júlia Németh which led to a corner. This was only half-cleared by home team and when the ball was swung into the danger zone again, Pinczi was there to divert it back across goal for Tóth to put it in the net at the second attempt after Németh, who started her career at Fradi in 2006, had blocked the first effort.

Naturally, Ferencváros pushed hard for an equaliser but they were unable to breach a miserly MTK defence in the last few minutes, György Szabados' team therefore defending their title and in doing so, winning the club's 8th Hungarian league championship.

This latest league triumph means MTK qualify for next year's UEFA's Champions League qualifiers, the blue-and-whites having repeatedly reached the Main round of the Champions League in previous years.

"This is what we came for and I'm glad we did it. The players were very well-prepared, they all ran hard and certain ones decided the game. The girls' teamwork has led to this success because they were able to turn around a deficit on their opponents' home turf", explained MTK head coach György Szabados jubilantly. On the other hand, Fradi's Szilvia Szeitl was obviously disappointed:

"It's annoying that we conceded the goals from just two set-pieces and we missed our chances in front of the opponent's goal. The result is a huge disappointment. I would like to thank our fans who have stood by us; we are sportspeople so we will try again next year, we will stand up and continue", said the Ferencváros defender.

Ferencváros 1–2 MTK Budapest (HT: 0–0)
Goalscorers: Allegra Poljak (53.), MTK: Barbara Tóth (56., 64.)

Lineups (surnames first):
Ferencváros: Németh Júlia – Szeitl Szilvia, Csiki Anna, Mosdóczi Evelin, Csigi Eszter (Szabó Viktória 62.), Fenyvesi Evelin, Bulatovic Sladana (Nagy Viktória 77.), Pusztai Sára (Bognár Enikő 69.), Zlidnis Inna, Kocsán Petra, Poljak Allegra

MTK Budapest: Szőcs Réka – Berman Lauren Rose (Mátyás Noémi 90.), Turányi Lilla, Tóth Barbara, Demeter Réka, Csányi Diána, Papp Dóra, Szabó Zsuzsanna (Czellér Dorottya 90+3.), Farádi-Szabó Edina, Pinczi Anita, Nagy Lilla (Oláh Adrienn 83.)