OTP Bank Liga 2023/2024

Beautiful and confident victory: DVSC-Zalaegerszeg 5-1

In the last league match before the national team break, DVSC hosted ZTE at Nagyerdei Stadium on Sunday at noon, celebrating the 122nd birthday of the club this week. The technical staff could not count on the injured Erik Kusnyir, Jorgo Pellumbi, Thor Úlfarsson and Tamás Batai. Among the starting eleven were Hamzat Ojediran, Soma Szuhodovszki and Botond Vajda too.

The kick-off was performed by Radu Sabo, the former player and excellent striker of Loki. Radu Sabo, who is from Kolozsvár, played in 51 league matches between 1998 and 2000 in the ranks of Loki, scoring 17 goals. One of the most memorable games was the match against FTC in 1999, which ended in a 6-1 victory for Loki, with Radu performing a hat-trick. In fact, he played brilliantly against the German Wolfsburg in the UEFA Cup, scoring both of the goals in the 2-1 victory for Debrecen.

The game against ZTE started excellently for DVSC as our team took the lead already in the 4th minute. After a corner-kick, the defenders saved Soma Szuhodovszki’s attempt right in front of the goal, but Hamzat Ojediran shot the ball into the goal from 11 meters (1-0). This was the first goal of our Nigerian player in the ranks of Loki. In the 10th minute, Antonio Mance shot wide off the goal from long-range, but it was DVSC that dominated, our team was playing well.

The pace was very intense and the second Debrecen goal came in the 25th minute. Botond Vajda was moving to the centre from the right side and curled the ball into the right corner of the goal from 18 meters, with Bárány Donát confusing the goalkeeper with his movement (2-0).

However, our team did not stop scoring goals. Loki doubled their advantage until the break. Botond Vajda was fouled by Csóka inside the box, and it was Balázs Dzsudzsák, who confidently converted the penalty in the 33rd minute. After a corner in the 38th minute, Dusan Lagator made a header and Donát Bárány, our homegrown striker, nodded the ball into the goal from close-range (4-0). Our team deservedly marched off to the break amidst loud applause.

ZTE made three substitutions for the second half and pulled one back in the 48th minute as Németh curled the ball into the bottom left corner from close-range after Sajbán’s cross (4-1). Not long after, Dombó saved Balázs Dzsudzsák’s shot. The guests tried to decrease the goal difference. Meanwhile, Stefan Loncar and Ádám Bódi came off the bench thirty minutes before the end (then Dominik Kocsis and Máté Tuboly also came on as well as the 17-year-old Csaba Hornyák, who made his debut in the first division).

In the 71st minute, DVSC scored a beautiful goal. Balázs Dzsudzsák made a nice pass to Ádám Bódi, who took the ball and passed to János Ferenczi. Our left-back made a precise cross to the centre, and the arriving Donát Bárány shot the ball into the net from a few meters (5-1). There could have been more goals in the final minutes (our team even hit the post), but the score remained 5-1. It was a convincing and beautiful victory.

We will continue after the national team break, playing against Kisvárda in two weeks.

According to the coach

Srdjan Blagojevic: I would like to praise the players, this 5-1 victory is the biggest one since I’m working in Hungary. The aim of DVSC is to play on the international stage but it is not easy as there is no big difference between the teams in Hungary. We have 36 points, 8 rounds are left until the end, so now we are safe and our goal is to finish in a higher position. It is easy and comfortable to play when the team is leading 4-0 by halftime. It’s good to be a fan of Debrecen in these cases but I would to ask for support during the difficult moments too. I’m proud that a lot of young Hungarian players are playing in our team, we have fulfilled the young minutes and today the 17-year-old Csaba Hornyák made his debut in the first division.

Gábor Márton: We didn’t start the match badly, we had our chances, but we conceded the goal from what we were prepared for, and then they finished us off. After the break, we tried to improve, but it didn’t work out this time. It happens, but we didn’t prepare for this kind of match.

OTP Bank Liga, round 25.

DVSC-ZTE 5-1 (4-0).

Nagyerdei Stadium, 4002 spectators. Referee: Antal P.

DVSC: Megyeri – Baranyai, Dreskovic, Lagator, Ferenczi (Hornyák, 85.) – Ojediran, Szuhodovszki (Loncar, 61.) – Vajda (Kocsis, 74.) , Dzsudzsák (Tuboly, 74.), Domingues (Bódi, 61.) – Bárány. Head coach: Srdjan Blagojevic.

ZTE: Dombó – Várkony (Meshack, 46., Lesjak, 85.)), Evangelou, Csóka D. – Szendrei N., Bedi, Hadida (Sajbán, 46.), Sankovic (Kovács B., 81.), Mim – Gruber (Németh D., 46.), Mance. Head coach: Márton Gábor.

Goal: Ojediran (4.), Vajda (25.), Dzsudzsák (33., from penalty), Bárány (38., 71.) as well as Németh D. (48.).

Yellow card: Dreskovic (62.) as well as Mance (87.).