Ujpest have had three managers this season and will want to bring to an end a disappointing season
Ujpest recently secured their own first division status and have proved difficult to beat lately. Their win over Vasas was enough to consign Vasas to second division football next season. It has been a frustrating season for the Budapest club, who achieved financial security following the take over of Belgium businessman Roderick Duchâtelet. The season began with Geza Meszoly in charge, but following a bad start to the campaign, he was replaced by Zoran Szpisljak, who stabled things a little but not enough to keep his own position. His assistant Marc Lelievre took over with a few games to go of the current season, and his Ujpest side have remained unbeaten over the last seven games.
However, the disappointing start to the spring season, saw them pick up just 5 points from the first 6 games, and laid the pattern for things to come. It proved too much for the new owner who appointed his third manager for the remaining games of the season. Manager Marc Lelievre has yet to taste defeat since taking over. His team have picked up two wins and drawn the other four, scoring seven goals and conceding three. Ujpest may include two former Vidi players in Zoltan Liptak and Dusan Vasziljevics in their line up on Sunday. The two sides met on the final match of last season at the Ferenc Szusza stadium, where Vidi suffered a single goal defeat in very difficult weather conditions, with much of the pitch appearing to be waterlogged.
They have also been missing several key players recently including strikers Peter Rajczi and Peter Kabat, while injuries to winger Krisztian Simon and forward player Bence Lazar have ruled them out for the season. Rajczi out of this group has a chance of being fit to play for Ujpest on Sunday, after his four match ban expried in the last match. Vidi won the autumn match at the Sostoi stadium by a 3-0 scoreline, thanks to a double strike from Nikolics and the other coming from Brazilian Andre Alves.
Author: David Rechnitzer