Following the international break, our first team resumed their OTP Bank Liga campaign with a capital derby, and although the first half did not produce any goals, the second period brought a quick exchange of strikes. Újpest took the lead in the 70th minute through substitute Gleofilo Vlijter, but the visitors could not celebrate for long, as three minutes later Péter Szappanos made a fantastic save from Ákos Baki's header, but the rebound fell right onto Patrik Pinte's head, and our forward nodded it into the net without hesitation. Speaking after the final whistle, our head coach emphasized that Újpest's strength is confirmed by their results, so they were fully aware that a high-quality performance would be needed against the purple-and-whites.
"We were aware that we were facing a strong opponent; Újpest's quality is also proven by their results, which is why we knew we had to deliver a good match and show high-quality football. Of course we hoped for a win, but above all, we wanted to keep at least a point at home," began Maurizio Jacobacci.
"The first half was balanced, with relatively few chances developing inside the boxes. The play was contested much more in midfield, with both sides defending well. We started the second half with an immediate substitution: Somogyi came off and I brought on Alic as a second striker, not least to help Marí win second balls and capitalize on long deliveries. In addition, I wanted to increase my team's physicality. The game indeed opened up, but when such a change of tempo occurs, you also take risks, and in the end, after losing an aerial duel in midfield, the opponent managed to break into depth and we conceded a goal. At the same time, credit must go to my team, as they did not give up, and we managed to equalize right away through Patrik Pinte. My players deserve recognition, as they showed the intelligence that ensured we didn't let this match slip away."
You can watch the press conference on our official YouTube channel:
OTP BANK LIGA 2026/27, ROUND 9
KISPEST–HONVÉD FC–Újpest FC 1–1 (0–0)
HONVÉD: Hadzikic – Safronov (Boldor, 84.), Baki, Szabó A., Hangya – Pekár (Eddarraj, 66.), Csontos – Szamosi, Somogyi T. (Alic, at half-time), Zuigeber (Pauljevic, 84.) – Marí (Pinte, 66.). Head coach: Maurizio Jacobacci
Újpest: Szappanos – Ujváry (Fiola, 66.), Heitor, Stronati, Zeke – Ljujic, Szendrei, Matko, Horváth K. (Krajcsovics, 56.), – Tijani (Vlijter, 56.), Amenyido (Scharmer, 90+2.). Head coach: Zoltán Szélesi
Goals: Pinte (73.), and Vlijter (71.).
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