DVSC hosted Kecskemét on Sunday in a crucial match for closing the gap, which also marked the first official game for the new head coach, Nestor El Maestro, with Loki. The trainer could not count on many players due to injuries. Among them were Erik Kusnyir, Neven Djurasek, Bence Batik and Yacouba Silue, who had a surgery this week. The starting XI has changed compared to the previous period, including, for example, Zhirayr Shaghoyan in the starting line-up.

The match started with midfield play in a cold weather, and our team tried to play organized football. In the 12^th minute, the goalkeeper of Kecskemét saved the 18-meter curl of Tamás Szűcs, but in the 17^th minute, Loki took the lead. János Ferenczi passed the ball to Donát Bárány, who stood with his back to the goal inside the penalty area. Bárány made a nice turn past his defender and fired the ball into the net from about 7 meters out (1-0). It was Bárány’s third goal in a row, and overall, he scored his fourth goal in this season.

In the following minutes, Kecskemét tried to equalize, but in the 26^th minute, Balázs Megyeri made a brilliant save to deny Lukács’s shot. However, the guests could score in the 29^th minute: following one more attempt from Lukács, the ball bounced off the left post, and Pálinkás shot it into the net from close-range (1-1). After the equalizer, none of the teams took much risk, so they went on a break with a 1-1 score.

The play was balanced in the second haf as well, yet Kecskemét had more possession of the ball. In the 55^th minute, Lukács scored, which was slightly unexpected. He dribbled the ball through the edge of the penalty box and then from the right side, he fired it into the far corner of the goal from 14 meters (1-2). Thus, Kecskemét had an advantage and Loki started the last 30 minutes from a difficult position.

In the 60^th minute, Balázs Dzsudzsák and Soma Szuhodovszki came on (later Botond Vajda and Kaye Shedrach also came off the bench), so Loki tried to increase the pressure. In the 63^rd minute, Kersák saved the header of Meldin Dreskovic as well as Balázs Dzsudzsák’s shot from a free-kick.

At the beginning of the final minutes, our captain’s shot was blocked, but in the 80^th minute, the equalizer came! János Ferenczi made a left-sided cross and Soma Szuhodovszki headed the ball into the right side of the goal from around 10 meters (2-2). It was the first goal of Soma, who has transferred from Kecskemét, in the ranks of Loki. During the endgame, both teams had some attempts, but it stayed a draw.

The next match will be on Sunday in Diósgyőr.

According to the coach

Nestor el Maestro: We hoped to win the three points, but we could not succeed and maybe, we did not deserve it. A long and difficult season is in front of us. We will improve, but it will happen in 2-3 weeks. We will fight until the end.

Zoltán Gera: It would have been important to get three points, but in our current situation and the way the game was going, the draw is a bit disappointing. Overall, we played a good game and one point is realistic.

OTP Bank Liga, round 14.

DVSC-Kecskemét 2-2 (1-1).

Nagyerdei Stadium, 2612 spectators. Referee: Bognár T.

DVSC: Megyeri – Stojkovic (Vajda, 73.), Dreskovic (Shedrach, 83.), Kocsis G., Pellumbi, Ferenczi – Szűcs T. (Dzsudzsák, 60.), Lagator, Domngues – Shaghoyan (Szuhodovszki, 60.), Bárány. Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

Kecskemét: Kersák – Nagy K. (Berki, 81.), Szabó A. (Riaskó, 81.), Belényesi, Katona L., Zeke – Lukács, Bocskay, Nikitscher, Kovács B. (Meskhi, 73.) – Pálinkás. Head coach: Zoltán Gera.

Goal: Bárány (17.), Szuhodovszki (80.) as well as Pálinkás (29.), Lukács (55.).

Yellow card: Szűcs T. (14.), illetve Belényesi (3.), Kovács B. (51.), Nikitscher (90.), Berki (91.), Bocskay (92.), Lukács (93.).