OTP Bank Liga: Ferencváros close in on title

Having recorded one draw and three defeats against Vidi in four league and cup matches this season, Ferencváros were keen to defeat their nearest challengers to not only all but wrap up the league championship, but also to show they deserve it.

As expected, Fradi were quick out of the blocks, taking the game to their Székesfehérvár opponents early on, and were a goal to the good within seven minutes. Tokmac Nguen was the scorer, stroking a low shot into the corner of the net from just outside the box after being set clear by Ivan Petrjak.

Vidi came back strongly, equalising when a deflected Szabolcs Huszti effort came back off the post in the 21st minute and Loïc Nego was the first to react. The remainder of the half was intense, if somewhat scrappy, the only real incident of note being a second yellow card for Vidi’s Anel Hadžić in injury time for a foul on Tokmac Nguen.

A man up, Fradi were a goal up in the 57th minute, Igor Haratin scoring with a looping header following an Isael corner on the right. Substitute Davide Lanzafame put the result beyond doubt with a fine free-kick goal in the 68th minute and got his second of the evening in time added on, Lukács Bőle intercepting a slack Ákos Elek pass and setting the Italian up for his 14th of the season. The result means that Ferencváros only require two points from their last four fixtures to be mathematically certain of winning the title.

Debrecen now sit third, nine behind Vidi along with Újpest on 47 points following a 2-1 victory at home against Haladás. Újpest drew 0-0 at home to Honvéd, who are fifth, a further six points behind on 41. Csaba Szatmári set Loki on their way with a 35th minute opener, heading home from an Ádám Bódi free kick, and András Herczeg’s side doubled their lead through Bódi in the 64th minute, the midfielder scoring from the penalty spot after Murtaz Daushvili had been penalised for handball in the box. Galin Ivanov gave Haladás hope in the 76th minute, his speculative long-range effort being spilled into the net by goalkeeper Oleksandr Nad. Reagy Ofosu hit the post moments later for the Szombathely side, but Debrecen held on for three the points as Haladás fell to defeat for only the second time in seven matches.

The battle to avoid relegation promises to go right to the wire with seven clubs now mired in the fight. With Haladas’ recent revival stalling, they remain bottom on 25 points, six behind second-bottom Diósgyőr, who defeated Paks 1-0 courtesy of a Dániel Prosser strike. Paks – with two points from a possible 21 in their last seven matches – slipped to tenth place and are on 32 points, behind Kisvárda, who won by a single goal away to MTK, on number of victories. Puskás Akadémia – despite winning 1-0 against Mezőkövesd thanks to a goal from Josip Knežević – and MTK are on 34 points. Mezőkövesd, on the back of five defeats in their last six matches, remain sixth on 35 points, but are only four points from second-bottom and a place in NB II next season.

Ferencváros 4-1 Vidi (HT: 1-1)
Goalscorers: FER: Nguen (7’), Haratin (57’), Lanzafame (68’, 90+2’); VID: Nego (21’)

Ferencváros: Dibusz - Lovrencsics G., Blažić, Dvali, Heister - Haratin, Leandro (Bőle, 75’) - Isael, Nguen, Petrjak (Varga R., 82’) - Signevich (Lanzafame, 59’)
Vidi: Kovácsik - Nego, Juhász R., Vinícius, Stopira - Pátkai, Hadžić, Huszti (Elek, 57’) - Kovács I., Hodžić (Tamás, 46’), Nikolov (Milanov, 63’)

Debrecen 2-1 Haladás (1-0)
Goalscorers: DEB: Szatmári (35’), Bódi (64’, pen); HAL: Ivanov (76’)
Debrecen: Nagy S. - Bényei, Szatmári, Pávkovics, Barna - Damásdi, Jovanovic (Csősz, 61.), Haris, Bódi - Szécsi (Varga K., 77’), Takács T. (Zsóri, 62’)
Haladás: Király - Habovda, Jagodics, Németh Mil., Mohl - Dausvili , Golodjuk (Ofosu, 57’) - Bamgboye (Gaál, 73’), Rui Pedro, Ivanov - Rabusic (Priskin, 58’)

Újpest 0-0 Honvéd
Újpest: Pajović - Pauljević, Litauszki, Ristevski, Balázs B. - Kovács L., Onovo - Zsótér, Rácz (Nagy D., 64’), Beridze (Simon, 81’) - Traoré (Solomon, 82’)
Honvéd: Gróf - Batik, Lovric, Kálnoki Kis - Heffler, Szendrei, Fousseni (Banó-Szabó, 69’), Ben-Hatira (Májer, 81’), Uzoma - Danilo (Tischler, 89’), Holender

MTK 0-1 Kisvárda (0-1)
Goalscorer: Horváth Z. (20’)
MTK: Horváth L. - Katona, Pintér, Gengeliczki, Szelin - Vass Á. (Kanta, 46’), Vogyicska - Gera D., Bognár (Diallo, 68’), Schön - Lencse (Vass P., 46’)
Kisvárda: Felipe - Melnyik, Beriosz, Kravcsenko, Lukjancsuk - Lucas, Karaszjuk (Vári, 86’) - Gosztonyi (Hugo Seco, 66’), Cukalasz, Grozav - Horváth Z. (Negrut, 70’)

Puskás Akadémia 1-0 Mezőkövesd (0-0)
Goalscorer: Knežević (71’) Puskás Akadémia: Hegedűs L. - Szolnoki, Hegedűs J., Hadzsiev, Nagy Zs. - Szakály P., Mioc, Urblík (Poór, 60’), Sós (Spandler, 80’) - Arabuli (Vega, 61’), Knezevic
Mezőkövesd: Szappanos - Eperjesi, Pillár, Katanec, Szalai A. - Szeles (Vajda, 46’), Iszlai - Cseri (Pekár, 75’), Meszhi, Moutari - Drazic (Koszta, 75’)

Diósgyőr 1-0 Paks (1-0)
Goalscorer: Prosser (27’) Diósgyőr: Antal - Polgár, Brkovic, Tamás M. - Sesztakov, Szabó B., Márkvárt, Hasani, Juhar (Korbély, 79’) - Vernes (Mihajlovic, 68’), Prosser (Tóth B., 91’)
Paks: Nagy G. - Kővári, Bobál, Kesztyűs (Cseke, 80’), Szabó J. - Windecker, Egerszegi, Papp K. (Kecskés, 73’) - Bartha (Simon A., 59’), Könyves, Hahn