Vidi won 3-0 on Saturday evening to remain in contention for the league title.
Ujpest FC were the visitors to the Pancho Arena on Saturday evening in match 25 of the OTP league season. Vidi enjoy a better record against the Budapest side in games over the years. There have been 43 wins and 38 defeats. The two sides have already met twice this season and both games ended in 2-2 draws.
Manager Marko Nikolic left Marko Scepovic out of his side as he battles a small illness together with Attila Fiola, who was replaced by Paulo Vinicius. It was Vidi that enjoyed the early possession in the early exchanges. There was a clash of heads with Stopira and the visiting Bojovics requiring treatment in the first few minutes. However, both recovered to continue playing.
Huszti broke into the box on 9 minutes and shot from a dangerous position, but his shot was blocked by a defender. Videoton continued to dominate in the minutes that followed as they won several corners. One of those after 20 minutes brought the breakthrough: A Huszti corner was headed downwards by Stefan Scepovic and past keeper Pajovics to make it 1-0. The game then became more balanced and the next chance fell to Ujpest on 34 minutes. Benjamin Balazs broke into the box to meet a cross and headed strongly at goal, but it ended up going over.
Vinicius sent a lovely low ball to release Stopira after 41 minutes, and the left back received the ball behind Balazs, before crossing into the middle for the forwards, but the Ujpest defence recovered and cleared. Cseke connected with a right sided cross to glance the ball over from 12 meters. The sides went in at the break with Vidi leading 1-0.
The second half started with a chance for Videoton. Lazovic received a fine ball from Nego after 51 minutes, and he broke into the box from the right before laying the ball into the path of Stefan, who stepped over it and eventually it was Patkai who shot, but an Ujpest defender reacted well to block the chance.
Nikolov was fouled by Mohl on 54 minutes around the box. The resulting free kick saw both Lazovic and Huszti behind the ball. It was the latter who hit a fine curling shot beyond the keeper to score his first NB I goal after a period of 4725 days.
It was Ujpest that made the first change of the game: Cseke was replaced by Nwobo after 64 minutes. Onovo was also sent on after 73 minutes for the visitors. Boban Nikolov came off for Vidi to be replaced by Fiola as the game entered the final stages.
The game was made safe on 83 minutes when Vidi scored their third goal. Loic Nego ran past his opponent inside the Ujpest half, and his pace was too much as he calmly slipped the ball past keeper Pajovics (3-0). The goal was followed by Huszti coming off and Kovacs entering the pitch.
Videoton were awarded a penalty in the final moments when Istvan Kovacs ran at the defence, before slipping the ball through to Lazovic, who was brought down by the keeper. Danko handed the ball to Kovacs to take, but the midfielder sent the penalty over the bar.
Vidi gained possession in injury time and with 91 minutes on the clock, Istvan Kovacs played Patkai through, and he unselfishly rolled the ball to Nego. The right back was fouled inside the area and the referee pointed at the spot. Kovacs took the penalty again but this time his low shot was saved by Pajovic. The score remained unchanged with the home side comfortably winning to keep the heat on leaders Ferencvaros. The red and blues are next in action in midweek with a visit to Honved.
Author: David Rechnitzer