OTP Bank Liga: Top two both come from behind to win
1-0 down at half-time, Marko Nikolić’s Videoton came back to win 3-2 against Diósgyőr at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen. Thomas Doll’s Ferencváros remain hot on their heels, themselves having come from 2-0 behind to triumph 3-2 at Balmazújváros.
Diósgyőri VTK 2–3 Videoton FC (1–0)
Goalscorers: DIÓ: Ugrai (17’), Ioannidis (78’); VID: Hadžić (53’), Henty (72’), Pátkai (86’)
Roland Ugrai, recently called up into Bernd Storck’s squad for the matches against Switzerland and the Faroe Islands, struck a fine dipping shot from distance to give Diósgyőr a 17th minute lead which they deservedly held at half-time with the visitors struggling to cope with their hosts’ aggressive approach.
Videoton drew level in the 53rd minute, Marko Šćepović meeting an Asmir Suljić cross, his shot coming off the crossbar and Anel Hadžić tucking the rebound home. Nineteen minutes later they were ahead, Ezequiel Henty the scorer after Loïc Nego had burst down the right wing. Diósgyőr soon levelled, Nikolaos Ioannidis’ first-time shot leaving Ádám Kovácsik with no chance, but Vidi weren’t to be denied the three points, Máté Pátkai meeting a Krisztián Géresi cross with five minutes left to send a crisp shot past Botond Antal and into the corner of the net.
Puskás Akadémia FC 1–2 Paksi FC (0–0)
Goalscorers: PUS: Knežević (78’ pen); PAK: Á Simon (63’), Bertus (71’)
Paks brought Puskás Akadémia’s run of good form to an end with two second half goals to leapfrog their opponents in the table, Ádám Simon heading home from a corner and Lajos Bertus scoring direct from a free-kick as the visitors chalked up a two-goal lead. Puskás Akadémia got back in the match with twelve minutes left, Josip Knežević drilling home from the spot for his sixth of the season, but Paks held on for victory.
Swietelsky Haladás 2–2 Mezőkövesd Zsóry FC (1–1)
Goalscorers: HAL: Williams (5’), Polgár (60’); MEZ: Iszlai (28’), Koszta (81’)
David Williams gave Haladás an early lead, pouncing on a defensive error from Dominik Fótyik to score his fifth of the season. Tomáš Tujvel prevented the hosts from doubling their lead, denying Máté Kiss and Márk Jagodics, before Bence Iszlai – against his former club – fired home after Haladás had failed to clear their lines.
Mezőkövesd were reduced to ten men early in the second half, Tamás Szeles receiving his marching orders for a second yellow card. Haladás took advantage, Kristóf Polgár scoring with a fine first-time shot from the right of the box after Leandro Martínez had played him in. The visitors squandered a great opportunity in the 71st minute to draw level for the second time, Gábor Király diving to his right to deny Iszlai from the penalty spot after Márk Koszta had gone down in the box. Mezőkövesd would salvage a point ten minutes later though, Koszta leaving Király helpless as he scored from seven yards out.
Újpest FC 1–1 DVSC (1–1)
Goalscorers: ÚJP: Pávkovics (23’); DEB: T. Takács (35’)
Újpest took the lead midway through the first half, Bence Pávkovics heading in a free-kick from Dániel Nagy. Debrecen equalised with ten minutes of the half remaining, Tamás Takács steering the ball into the corner of the net after being set-up by Ádám Bódi.
There was little in the way of goalmouth action in the second half, Újpest perhaps just shading possession and Debrecen content to hit on the counter, but with no further goals scored both teams had to settle for a point. Debrecen remain third, six points behind leaders Videoton, whilst Újpest are eighth, a further four points behind.
Balmaz Kamilla Gyógyfürdő 2–3 Ferencváros (2–1)
Goalscorers: BAL: Vayda (10’), Sigér (37’); FER: G. Lovrencsics (39’), Paintsil (54’), R. Varga R. (78’ pen)
Balmazújváros raced into a tenth minute lead against their opponents from the capital, Shandor Vayda tucking home on the rebound after Dénes Dibusz could only parry Eke Uzoma’s shot. Nine minutes before half-time, they were two ahead, Dávid Sigér supplying the finishing touch to a Bachana Arabuli cross with the Ferencváros defence carved open. Ferencváros reduced the deficit not long after, Gergő Lovrencsics on hand to capitalise on a defensive error, Balmazújváros going in 2-1 to the good at the break.
Substitute Joseph Paintsil brought Ferencváros level ten minutes into the second half, a dipping, curling 30-yard shot leaving László Horváth grasping thin air, and the young Ghanaian had a hand in the winning goal too, winning a penalty in the 78th minute which Roland Varga duly dispatched. Varga is now on 12 goals for the season, as Ferencváros remain two points behind league leaders Videoton in second place.
Budapest Honvéd 1–4 Vasas FC (0–1)
Goalscorers: HON: Danilo (76’); VAS: Remili (15’, 49’, 93’), Gaál (52’)
Team captain Mohamed Remili bagged a hat-trick as Vasas shocked their Budapest neighbours at the Bozsik Stadion and move up to fourth in the table, ahead of their opponents courtesy of number of matches won.
His first goal came in the fifteenth minute has he swept home a Dávid Kulcsár cut-back from 15 yards. Honvéd then spurned an opportunity to level from the penalty spot, Davide Lanzafame’s shot saved by Ľuboš Kamenár after substitute Tamás Vaskó had been penalised for a foul in the box.
Remili doubled Vasas’ lead four minutes after the break, Manjrekar James sending him clear of the chasing defence for him to take his time and pick his spot. Honvéd were more active thereafter but soon found themselves three goals down, their defence failing to deal with a Remili corner and leaving Bálint Gaál unmarked right in front of goal.
The hosts did manage to get a goal back with quarter of an hour left to play, Danilo unmarked in the box as he leapt to head into the top-corner. Vasas never looked in danger of letting victory slip from their grasp, and Remili duly scored his third of the match in injury time from a tight angle on the left to cap a miserable evening for the home side.