OTP Bank Liga: Fehérvár keep in touch with Fradi at top

It is crucial Fehérvár maintain their excellent recent form if they are to remain in contention for the Hungarian league title they last won in 2018, thus coach Joan Carrillo's team will be gladdened by the ease with which they dispatched Kaposvár at the MOL Aréna Sósto, a second-minute, close-range strike from Funsho Bamgboye, a 21st-minute own goal by Tamás Nagy and a first goal on his league return for Hungary international striker Nikolics just before half-time doing the damage. That 3-0 triumph means they move to 46 points, three behind league leaders Ferencváros who defeated visitors Debrecen thanks to an early Ákos Kinyik own goal and a superb 39th-minute finish from Frank Boli.

A pre-match tribute was paid at every football match to the late János Göröcs, who had passed away the previous weekend, but the club the legendary playmaker is synonymous with, Újpest, couldn't mark the occasion with a win at their latest temporary home of Zalaegerszeg. Nebojša Vignjević's came from behind in the 28th minute when Calcan cancelled out Vanacek's third-minute opener but they fell into arrears again just before half time and the deficit doubled three minutes from the end of normal time, Novothny's 91st-minute goal proving to be merely a consolation as Puskás Akadémia prevailed 3-2.

Elsewhere, third-placed Mezőkövesd are now fivepoints adrift of Fehérvár after suffering a surprising 2-1 reverse at home to struggling Zalaegerszeg, Mitrovic and Bőle propelling the visitors into a two-goal lead which was only partially dented by Cseri's 80th-minute penalty, awarded for a handball by Katanec who was duly dismissed. Two late goals helped Kisvárda leapfrog guests Paks in the league table while Honvéd suffered a chastening 4-0 defeat at the hands of away team Diósgyőr in the Budapest club's temporary home of the Új Hidegkuti Nándor stadion, all those four goals coming in the second half.

OTP Bank Liga, 23rd round:

Mezőkövesd Zsóry FC 1–2 Zalaegerszegi TE (HT: 0–1)
Mezőkövesd, ref.: Vad II
Goalscorers: MEZ: Cseri (80, pen), ZAL: Mitrovic (39), Bőle (46)
Red card: Katanec (79.)
Yellow cards: MEZ: Nesterov (5), Farkas (11), Nagy D. (49), ZAL: Katanec (30, 79), Katelaris (37)

Mezőkövesd: Szappanos – Farkas, Pillár, Nesterov, Silye – Cseri, Karnyitski (Takács, 75), Berecz, Besirovic – Zivzivadze (Vajda, 70), Nagy D. (Jurina, 50)
ZTE: Demjén – Bolla, Lesjak, Bobál G. (Ikoba, 61/Bobál D., 83), Katanec – Katelaris, Barczi – Stieber, Mitrovic, Bőle (Ostrek, 83)- Radó

Kisvárda Master Good 2–0 Paksi FC (0–0)
Kisvárda, ref.: Andó-Szabó
Goalscorers: KIS: Sassá (74), Bumba (82)
Yellow cards: KIS: Viana (45+2), Karaszjuk (68), Sassá (78), PAKS: Szélpál (87), Balogh B. (92)

Kisvárda: Dombó – Melnyik, Berios, Rubus, Protic – Lucas, Karasiuk – Gosztonyi (Sassá, 67), Tsoukalas (Tischler, 72), Bumba – Viana
Paks: Holczer – Kulcsár (Haraszti, 78), Szélpál, Lenzsér, Poór, Szabó J., – Bertus (Windecker, 59), Balogh B., Szakály D. – Hahn (Sajbán, 62), Böde

Újpest FC 2–3 Puskás Akadémia FC (1–2)
Zalaegerszeg, 182 spectators, ref.: Solymosi
Goalscorers: ÚJP: Calcan (28), Novothny (91), PUS: Vanacek (3), Knezevic (43), Van Nieff (87)
Yellow cards: ÚJP: Onvo (33), Litauszki (69), PUS: Urblík (31), Knezevic (36)

Újpest FC: Pajovic – Heris, Litauszki, Risztevszki, Burekovic – Csongvai (Szakály P., 65), Onovo – Calcan (Bacsa, 66), Nwobodo, Perosevic (Koszta, 74) – Novothny
Puskás Akadémia FC: Hegedüs L. – Szolnoki (Varga J., 58.), Meissner, Spandler, Nagy Zs. – Urblík, Plsek (Van Nieff, 74) – Slagveer, Knezevic, Gyurcsó (Sós B., 46) – Vanecek

Budapest Honvéd FC 0–4 Diósgyőri VTK (0–0)
Új Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion, ref.: Bogár
Goalscorers: Hasani (46), Ivanovski (71), Molnár G. (78), Iszlai (84, pen)
Red cards: Batik (73), Mezghrani (83)
Yellow cards: Kálnoki-Kis (33), Mezghrani (50, 83), Batik (56, 73), DIÓ: Ivanovski (23), Iszlai (40), Rui Pedro (43), Brkovic (60), Sesztakov (64)

Budapest Honvéd: Tujvel – Batik, Kamber, Kálnoki-Kis – Mezghrani, Nagy G., Hidi, Gazdag (Ugrai, 80), Aliji (Kukoc, 75) – Lanzafame, Moutari (Uzoma, 86)
Diósgyőri VTK: Danilovic – Sesztakov, Brkovic, Polgár, Vági – Márkvárt, Iszlai (Cortes, 85) – Kiss T. (Egerszegi, 75), Rui Pedro (Molnár G., 72), Hasani – Ivanovski

MOL Fehérvár FC 3–0 Kaposvári Rákóczi FC (3–0)
MOL Aréna Sóstó, ref.: Farkas Á.
Goalscorers: Bamgboye (2), Nagy T. (21, OG), Nikolics (44)
Yellow cards: FEH: Nikolics (45), KAP: Balázs Zs. (1), Tarasovs (31), Szakály A. (39), Nagy R. (74)

Fehérvár: Kovácsik – Hangya, Musliu, Vinícius (Juhász R., 46), Stopira – Pátkai, Houri – Bamgboye (Nego 73), Kovács I. (Hodzic 61), Petrjak – Nikolics
Kaposvár: Pogacsics – Vachtler, Nagy T., Tarasovs (Ur 68), Fodor M. – Szakály A., Nagy J. – Balázs Zs. (Pintér Á. 56), Csiki (Borbély Á., 46), Nagy R. – Ádám

Ferencvárosi TC 2–0 Debreceni VSC (2–0)
Groupama Aréna, ref.: Pintér
Goalscorers: Kinyik (6, OG), Boli (39)
Yellow cards: Csősz (45), Kinyik (58), Bódi (65)

Ferencváros: Dibusz – Lovrencsics, Blazic, Frimpong, Civic – Haratin, Sigér – Zubkov, Isael (Varga R., 72), Nguen (Vécsei, 86) – Boli (Signevich, 81)
Debrecen: Nagy S. – Kusnyír, Szatmári, Kinyik, Ferenczi – Csősz (Kundrák, 77), Haris – Bódi, Szécsi, Varga K. – Garba (Adenji, 80)