Although both teams came into Sunday's match in good form, the sides faced what was effectively a final, a so-called 'six-pointer', in Ajka, with only two points separating them before the round.
Our team had won 4-1 in Tatabánya and then 5-0 at home against autumn champions Kozármisleny. Ajka, meanwhile, had not been idle either: Szabolcs Schindler was dismissed and replaced by Bálint Gaál, under whom the Veszprém county side caused a major surprise by winning 2-0 in Szeged.
Tamás Feczkó made one change from the line-up in our previous league win, with Balázs Farkas replacing the injured Ihrig-Farkas in the starting team.
The two clubs were meeting in a league match in Ajka for the first time, but as early as the 6th minute it became clear to the spectators that they could expect a tense encounter with a lot at stake. Bonifác Csonka became entangled with a home defender and a mass confrontation followed. Tempers had not cooled by the 11th minute, when Péter Garai flattened Bévárdi, although Móri punished the challenge only with a yellow card. In the 15th minute Farkas found the net after Holman's through ball, but the referee disallowed the goal for offside.
In the 20th minute the green-and-whites managed to break through the left side of our defence and, following the cross, Bence Babos arrived at the far post at just the right time (1-0). In the 28th minute Tujvel had to stretch to keep out a long-range effort from Nikolasz Kovács. Three minutes later the home side countered again and Alex Szabó produced a huge intervention to deny Babos in a clear scoring position. In the 34th minute Ajka launched another counterattack, Garai carrying the ball out of his own half before presenting Doncsecz with an unmissable chance, which he converted from point-blank range (2-0). In the 35th minute Alex Szabó had a chance after a corner but fired over from the corner of the six-yard box. At the end of the half Bévárdi threatened with a header from a cross, but Horváth saved. After the restart we had to wait until the 52nd minute for the first major opportunity: Farkas found himself in a great position, but under pressure he could not direct the ball and poked it at the opposing goalkeeper from a metre out. After an hour Kántor found the net, but he had been offside, so Ajka's two-goal lead remained. In the 74th minute Ajka should have taken a throw-in, but it was not taken; at the end of the incident the referee sent off Dávid Holman. After a stoppage of just over ten minutes, play resumed in the 82nd minute. Even with ten men we increased the pressure, and in the 87th minute Keresztes headed Hangya's cross against the bar. The score did not change after that.
Tamás Feczkó: The deliberate punch in the 2nd minute should be judged in the same way as one in the 80th. That incident came as a shock to us, and Ajka scored the goal that turned the match in their favour. We changed things at half-time and hit the woodwork twice, but at the same time we created hardly any clear-cut chances; the Ajka goalkeeper essentially did not have to make a save. We need to offer more in the attacking zone from now on. We owe thanks to our travelling supporters, who backed the team throughout.
Bálint Gaál: We knew we would be playing a very good Honvéd side, but I think we analysed Kispest well. I can only speak about my players in superlatives; since I took over the team they have worked extremely hard.
FC AJKA–BUDAPEST HONVÉD FC 2–0 (2–0)
Ajka, Városi Sports Centre, 1,200 spectators.
Ref.: T. Móri (Becséri, Kulman)
BUDAPEST HONVÉD: Tujvel – Szabó A. (Pekár 83.), Baki, Csonka (Kántor 46.) – Bévárdi, Somogyi (Szamosi 46.), Holman, Hangya – Pinte (Vernes 83.), Farkas (Keresztes 64.), Medgyes. Head coach: Tamás Feczkó
FC AJKA: Horváth D. – Kovács N., Kenderes, Jagodics, Garai (Szabó 85.) –Sejben (Zsolnai 46.), Csizmadia © (Kopácsi 85.), Tóth G., Doncsecz (Borsos 58.), Babos, Szarka Á., (Bobál 17.). Interim head coach: Bálint Gaál
Goals: Babos (20.), Doncsecz (34.).
Sent off: Holman (77.).
Match highlights:
