Both our U14 and U13 teams headed to Croatia to represent our club at the international First Steps Tournament. Richárd Takács's side had last tested themselves on the international stage back in August, and although it seemed difficult to top that achievement at the time, our youngsters exceeded all expectations once again. Our boys finished the group stage with two wins, one draw, and one defeat, securing their spot in the quarter-finals. In the last eight, a hat-trick from Bence Márta secured a comfortable 3–0 victory over FK Budućnost. In the semi-finals, NK Slaven Belupo awaited our team: regular time ended in a goalless draw, but our academy players held their nerve in the penalty shootout to advance to the final. Then came the crowning achievement in the decider: courtesy of a brace from Bence Márta, our U14s defeated English record champions Manchester United to claim their sixth tournament victory in a row. Individual recognition followed as well: Bence Márta also took home the Player of the Tournament award.
Our U13 team also took to the pitch in the coastal city of Split, completing an unbeaten group stage campaign with three wins and ten goals scored. In the round of 16, our side faced Croatian outfit NK Zagreb and sealed qualification thanks to a hat-trick from Milán Becz and a strike from Szabolcs Dobos. In the quarter-finals, our academy players continued their run against Lokomotiva Zagreb: regular time ended in a 1–1 draw, but our boys showed greater composure in the penalty shootout to book a place in the top four. In the semi-finals, NK Maribor brought our U13s' unbeaten streak to an end, and in the bronze medal match, NK Sesvete got the better of our team, meaning they finished the tournament in fourth place. Meanwhile, Milán Becz claimed the tournament's top scorer title with eight goals!
U14
PRVI KORACI U14
Split, Croatia
Group stage:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–RNK Split 1912 (CRO) 2–2
Scorers: Izing, Walkó.
Kispest–Honvéd FC–NK Solin (CRO) 4–0
Scorers: Márta, Nyerges, Pályka, Szilágyi.
Kispest–Honvéd FC–NK Rudeš (CRO) 1–0
Scorer: Szilágyi
Kispest–Honvéd FC–Jagiellonia Białystok (POL) 0–1
Knockout stage:
Quarter-final:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–FK Budućnost (MNE) 3–0
Scorer: Márta (3).
Semi-final:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–NK Slaven Belupo (CRO) 0-0 (pen.: 4–2)
Final:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–Manchester United (ENG) 2–0
Scorer: Márta (2).
Squad:: Babos Csanád, Baji Bálint, Balla Zalán, Berki Tibor Benett, Izing Dávid, Jamrik Larion, Juhász Bence, Juhász Gergő, Krapfel Dominik, Marsalla Norbert, Márta Bence, Németh Flórián János, Nyerges Zoltán Bánk, Pályka Béla Olivér, Pándi Máté, Szilágyi Áron, Tóbiás Ábel Marcell, Várdai Csongor, Varga Olivér, Walkó Milán.
Richárd Takács, head coach:
"This weekend we took part in a 20-team international tournament in Croatia, playing seven matches in total and testing ourselves against teams from four different countries. Over the first two days, we delivered mixed performances in the group stage; we struggled to adapt to the tempo and could only rarely show our true identity, but despite that, we advanced to the quarter-finals in second place. On the third day, for the knockout phase, we managed to shift into a much higher gear, and in all three subsequent matches we outperformed our opponents both in play and in intensity. We progressed confidently from the quarter-finals, but in the semi-final we were unable to turn our overwhelming dominance and chances into goals; however, after a penalty shootout we still made it to the final, where Manchester United were waiting for us. It was a fantastic experience for all of us to play against such a prestigious opponent in a tournament final under special circumstances. During the match, I got exactly what I expected from the boys: confident football and real team spirit, combined with great individual moments and a thoroughly deserved victory. Words can hardly describe what a privilege it is to work with these kids every day and to see time and time again how they show what they are capable of in situations like this. As I have said many times before: exceptional players make up an outstanding community. I would like to thank the parents for traveling with us once again and for supporting the kids and the staff's work!"
U13
PRVI KORACI U13
Split, Croatia
Group stage:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–NK Solin (CRO) 2–1
Scorers: Polonkai, Pető.
Kispest–Honvéd FC–NK Maksimir (CRO) 2–0
Scorers: Becz, Szijjártó.
Kispest–Honvéd FC–Lynx (GIB) 6–0
Scorers: Becz (2), Lázár, Dobos, Alnajjar, Pintér.
Knockout stage:
Round of 16:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–NK Zagreb (CRO) 4–0
Scorers: Becz (3), Dobos Szabolcs.
Quarter-final:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) 1–1 (pen.: 3-2)
Scorer: Pető.
Semi-final:
Kispest-Honvéd FC – NK Maribor (SLO) 0–5
3rd place match:
Kispest–Honvéd FC–NK Sesvete (CRO) 2–4
Scorers: Becz (2).
Squad:: Alnajjar Emir Milán, Balogh Donát, Becz Milán, Békeffy Richárd, Czipa László, Dobos Szabolcs, Hollósi Dávid, Kardos Gergő, Kovács Dániel, Lázár Benjámin, Nagy Milos, Pető Zente, Pintér Gábor Zalán, Polonkai Döme, Simon Dániel, Somogyi Miklós, Szijjártó Patrik, Turai Alex.
Szabolcs Földi, head coach:
"On the first day, we jointly set our objectives, which placed particular emphasis on conscious tempo management, continuous passing options, and positive communication. We implemented a great deal of this, especially compared to our previous, often overly direct style of play. A crucial step was adjusting our tactical system. When I discussed this with Tamás Helm, head of the pre-academy, he did not insist on a specific formation; instead, his priority was preserving our playing style and core principles. Tamás Szamosi and Zsolt Fehér also contributed greatly to instilling this new system, allowing us to play in a shape that better brought out the team's strengths. Several players produced outstanding performances, while some revealed a new side to their game. Milán Becz was one of them; he adapted well to his new role and, thanks to his smart decision-making and awareness in front of goal, finished as the top scorer in the U13 age group with eight goals. We qualified undefeated from the group, and our round-of-16 display was perhaps our best match. We then overcame Lokomotiva Zagreb on penalties. The fatigue of playing so many games in quick succession was evident in the final two or three matches, yet it was encouraging that we still played at a high tempo in the closing match. It is important to keep this result in perspective, just as we did during tougher periods. One successful tournament does not mean all our goals are achieved, just as less favorable results do not invalidate the hard work put in. We want to continue developing consistently, staying true to our principles while enjoying our football."
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