After three and a half years, the Kispest–Újpest derby was once again staged in the OTP Bank Liga. Our side had a score to settle, having last celebrated a home victory against them in August 2017, when Zsótér's goal was answered first by Lanzafame and then by Kamber, who has since been working at our academy. If that were not enough motivation, the Bozsik Aréna's new pitch was also inaugurated against the purple-and-whites. The stands were virtually packed as nearly 5,000 spectators attended the match, and there surely could have been even more; however, by decision of the federation's disciplinary committee, the entire Sector B had to be closed, leaving nearly two thousand supporters unable to buy tickets for the Bozsik. Maurizio Jacobacci made several unexpected choices: while many might have anticipated István Pekár stepping in for Ádám Somogyi, who suffered a serious injury during the international break, our Italian-Swiss manager also handed starting berths to Alex Szabó and Oleksandr Safronov, as well as Alberto Marí, who had played 45 minutes against Tiszakécske.
Our team got off to a clearly better start in the opening minutes; after Csontos's wide free kick, the ball flashed across the face of goal, and then in the fifth minute Pekár fired well over the crossbar. The biggest chance so far came in the 23rd minute when, following Zuigeber's cross-field ball, Hangya headed back into the middle; Marí missed it by mere inches, and while Szappanos was momentarily uncertain, he managed to punch the ball away to safety. After half an hour of play, our side mounted another attractive attack: from Zuigeber's pass, Szamosi turned sharply on the right wing and delivered a dangerous low cross into the box after a fine piece of skill, but it was just out of Marí's reach, sparing Szappanos the need to intervene. Following the restart, although both coaches continuously introduced fresh legs, neither side could create clear-cut chances for a long stretch. Then the tempo picked up: in the 68th minute, Hadzikic tipped Ljujic's long-range rocket out of the top left corner. In the 70th minute, however, we conceded possession in midfield, allowing Amenyido to play in Vlijter, who had come on in the 56th minute; the Surinamese forward kept his composure, rounded the onrushing and exposed Hadzikic, and slotted into the net (0–1).
The visitors' lead was short-lived. Barely three minutes later, from another wide free kick by Csontos, Ákos Baki—who delivered a masterclass performance all match—rose to head toward goal; Szappanos produced a brilliant save, but the rebound fell right onto the head of substitute Patrik Pinte, who nodded it home (1–1). In the 75th minute, Hadzikic made another tremendous save to deny Matko, this time using his legs. In the closing stages, both teams pushed for a winner, but no further goals were scored. Next Saturday from 14:30, we will take the pitch away in Nyíregyháza.
OTP BANK LIGA, ROUND 9, 2026–27
KISPEST–HONVÉD FC–Újpest FC 1–1 (0–0)
Bozsik Aréna, 5,078 spectators. Referee: Gergő Bogár (Gergely Becséri, Dávid Rózsa).
HONVÉD: Hadzikic – Safronov (Boldor, 84'), Baki, Szabó A., Hangya – Pekár (Eddarraj, 66'), Csontos – Szamosi, Somogyi T. (Alic, 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').
Maurizio Jacobacci:
"We were well aware that we were facing a strong opponent; Újpest's strength is backed up by their results, so we knew we had to deliver a good performance and show quality football. Naturally, we hoped for a win, but above all, we wanted to keep at least a point at home tonight. The first half was balanced, with relatively few chances inside the penalty areas. The contest was fought largely in midfield, and both teams defended well. We made an immediate change for the second half: Somogyi came off, and I brought Alic on as a second striker, not least to help Marí win second balls and capitalize on long deliveries. In addition, I wanted to increase the physical presence of my team. The match opened up, but when you change the tempo like that, you also take risks; in the end, after losing an aerial duel in midfield, the opponent broke through and we conceded. However, credit goes to my team for not giving up, and thanks to Patrik Pinte, we leveled immediately. Praise belongs to my players, as they showed the intelligence needed to ensure this match was not lost."
Zoltán Szélesi:
"Honvéd is a disciplined, good side. Based on their display, they could easily be higher up in the standings. In the first half, we should have done more and been more proactive to take the lead earlier and potentially win the match. At half-time, the substitutions and adjustments provided momentum, individual spark, and better performances on the pitch, which gave us our opportunities."
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