First home win for OFK Tryavna, 2-1 over Akademik Svishtov, in the last round of the first half of the season

Thursday, the 31st of October 2019, 14:30 local time (12:30 UTC), Angel Kanchev Stadium, Tryavna, Bulgaria, the 13th round of the Bulgarian Third League - North-West Group (Severozapadna Treta Liga).

OFK Tryavna finally won a game at home, 2-1 over Akademik Svishtov, and will have a more peaceful winter break as they increased to 4 points their gap to Bdin 1923 Vidin, the first team below the relegation line. This result comes naturally as the team performed better by each round, winning their first game this season two weeks ago, 2-0 away at their direct relegation rivals, Bdin 1923 Vidin.

However, they needed also to improve their results at home and to make their home fans happy, after a series of rather disappointing draws and defeats throughout the season.

 Vasil Andreev (in white and green), OFK Tryavna's top goalscorer, in action. Source:sport-gabrovo.com

Most of the other teams in the lower half of the table lost, so OFK Tryavna succeeded even to get to the 11th position in the classification and to get closer to the teams in the middle part of the table.

The next round will only be played at the end of February or in March 2020. OFK Tryavna will play then again at home, against second classified FK Sevlievo, probably the most difficult game at home in the second half of the season.

The team needs to make the necessary preparations and adjustments throughout winter, to make sure they will not end up in the relegation area. There is need for several players to come in, to cover some of the key positions which have not functioned so well in the first half of the season. 

Full results, table at half-season (except for one game, Lokomotiv Dryanovo - Juventus Malchika, postponed in round 12) and fixtures (for spring 2020):

Round 13 (31 October 2019)

Yantra 2019 Gabrovo – Kom Berkovitsa 2-1

Juventus 95 Malchika – FK Drenovets 2-2

Vihar Slavyanovo – Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo 4-0

Partizan Cherven Bryag – OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra 5-1

Parva Atomna Kozloduy – OFK Pavlikeni 0-2

Bdin 1923 Vidin – FK Sevlievo 0-3

OFK Tryavna – Akademik Svishtov 2-1

Table at half-season

1	Yantra 2019 Gabrovo	13	11	0	2	33-8	33	Promotion to Vtora Liga
2	FK Sevlievo	13	9	2	2	33-13	29
3	Vihar Slavyanovo	13	8	4	1	28-15	28
4	Partizan Cherven Bryag	13	7	4	2	34-13	25
5	OFK Pavlikeni	13	5	7	1	22-16	22
6	FK Drenovets	13	6	2	5	19-22	20
7	Akademik Svishtov	13	4	4	5	29-23	16
8	OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra	13	4	3	6	15-20	15
9	Lokomotiv Dryanovo	12	3	5	4	16-18	14
10	Kom Berkovitsa	13	3	4	6	25-26	13
11	OFK Tryavna	13	2	5	6	16-24	11
12	Parva Atomna Kozloduy	13	3	2	8	13-28	11
13	Bdin 1923 Vidin	13	2	1	10	9-37	7	Relegation to regional leagues
14	Juventus 95 Malchika	12	0	3	9	13-42	3	Relegation to regional leagues

Round 14 (February or March 2020)

Kom Berkovitsa – Akademik Svishtov

OFK Tryavna – FK Sevlievo

Bdin 1923 Vidin – OFK Pavlikeni

Parva Atomna Kozloduy – OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra

Partizan Cherven Bryag – Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo

Vihar Slavyanovo – FK Drenovets

Juventus 95 Malchika – Yantra 2019 Gabrovo

Telephonat Beni Suef - Fayoum 1-0 in the second round of the Egyptian Second Division, Group A

Wednesday, the 30th of October 2019, 16:00 local time (14:00 UTC), Beni Suef Stadium, Beni Suef, Egypt, the second round of the Egyptian Second Division.

Telephonat Beni Suef succeeds to win their first match at home this season against a very determined Fayoum side. Both teams came after positive results in the first round: Telephonat drew away, while Fayoum won 2-1 at home over Aluminium. In the meantime, in the week-end, they both played away in the first preliminary round of the Egypt Cup and qualified: Telephonat won 1-0 away at Asyut Cement while Fayoum won 4-3 at penalties after the matche ended 0-0, away at Al Medina Al Monawara. So, both squads were quite confident at the beginning of the match.

The home side dominated the first half and the pressure finally paid off. First, a goal by Ahmed Youssef was cancelled for offside (15'). However, Manga Fode finally broke the deadlock and scored a goal which proved decisive, with a beautiful shot from outside the box: 1-0 (27').

 Fayoum SC (in green) were defeated by Telephonat Beni Suef (in red and black). Source: stadwb.com (Gaber Arafa)

After the goal, the visitors took control of the game, had more possession of the ball, both in the remaining minutes of the first half and throughout the second half, but were unable to equalize, despite several good chances. Moamen Hassan, Telephonat Beni Suef goalkeeper, had an exceptional day, his saves providing the home side the three points.
Highlights for this game are available on YouTube.

Starting lineups:

Telephonat: Moamen Hassan - Wael Mustafa, Mohamed Abdel Razzaq, Mahmoud Abdo, Ahmed Fathi, Abdullah Hantash, Mohamed Ragab, Ahmed Reda, Manga Fode, Ahmed Youssef, Mustafa Koshari. Head coach: Ahmed Shaaban.

Fayoum: Ahmed Al-Beheiri - Mahmoud Al-Husseini, Ahmed Zaki, Mohammed Eid, Ahmed Saad, Karim Raafat, Karim Sayed, Mohamed Mahmoud, Ahmed Aweys, Mohamed Refaat, Ahmed Blidi. Head coach: Mohamed Mohsen Abu Grisha.

Referee: Abdel Aziz El Sayed.

Just like everywhere else at the other matches in the Second Division, spectators were not allowed, according to the decision of the Egyptian FA.

Telephonat Beni Suef are now third with four points, while Fayoum are fifth with three points. The matches of the third round are scheduled on Sunday, the 3rd of November, and Monday, the 4th of November. Telephonat Beni Suef will play again at home against Aluminium on Monday, while Fayoum will play at home against the National Bank of Egypt on Sunday, at Alassiouty Sports Resort.

The other results of the second round:

Sohag - Beni Suef 0-1

Aluminium - Al Minya 1-0

National Bank - Dayrout 3-0

Qana - Petrol Asyut 2-1

Tahta - Media 1-1

Beni Suef are leaders with the maximum of points, 6.

Tokar's hat-trick was not enough: 1. FK Svidnik - OSFK Sarisske Michal'any 3-4 (2-1)

Sunday, the 27th of October 2019, 14:00 local time (13:00 UTC), Mestsky futbalovy Stadium, Svidnik, Slovakia, the 15th round of the Slovakian 3. Liga - East Group.

After a series of good results in front of the strongest teams in the group, 1. FK Svidnik were unexpectedly defeated at home by one of their mid-table direct competitors, OSFK Sarisske Michal'any.

The game started well for the home side, which scored early: Juraj Kuhajdik executed a free kick from a large distance, and Tokar's header from inside the area sent the ball in the back of the net: 1-0 (11'). Svidnik seemed to be pretty much in control of the game, but the visitors equalized: Marek Bonko crossed from the right and Aleksandar Radovanovic succeeded to head it in from a difficult angle and position: 1-1 (28'). However, the home side took the lead again, as the ball went from the left to the right to Azamat Dzoblaev, and his cross in front of the goal found the same Michal Tokar in the right spot to put it in: 2-1 (35').

In the second half, again, Svidnik looked confident but the visitors struggled intensely to come back in the game. They eventually equalized after a long range shot by Jakub Luterancik: 2-2 (65'). The goal, rather unexpected, changed the game completely, as the home side lost their initial confidence, while the visitors looked unstoppable, as they scored again by Ivan Petruk - 2-3 (72') after a deflected shot, and then by Aleksandar Radovanovic, at the end of a swift counterattack: 2-4 (79').

At this point, the match was pretty much in favour of Sarisske Michal'any and the final charges of the Svidnik side resulted in only one consolation goal, scored by the same Michal Tokar, whose shot from the edge of the area was well directed near the side post: 3-4 (90'). It was however too late for an equalizer.

Svidnik: A. Miklus - Bialoncik, Zapotocky, Cabala, Kisel'a - Veprik, Kuhajdik (Cekan 71') - Krizanovsky (Kosc 60'), Dzoblaev, Tokar - Pil'ar. Head coach: Tomas Elias. Assistant coach: Robert Petrus.

Sarisske Michal'any: Kolbas - Bonko, Stas, Bohut, Krajnak, Luterancik, Poncak (Tomas 90'+1'), Jerabek (Dzurban 86'), T. Miklus, Radovanovic, Petruk. Head coach: Juraj Mihalcin.

Referee: Stefan Molitoris.

Yellow card: Dzoblaev 51'.

The competition will continue in the next week-end with the matches of the 16th round, the first in the second half of the season. 1. FK Svidnik will play again at home, this time against FK NOVES Spisska Nova Ves, theoretically a more accessible opponent than OSFK Sarisske Michal'any, at least according to the table. However, one may guess that the Svidnik side would be very careful not to lose any more points at home.

OSFK Sarisske Michal'any will play away at Pokrok SEZ Krompachy, a team involved in the relegation area.

Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 15 (26-27 October 2019)

MFK Slovan Giraltovce – MFK Snina 1-3

ŠK Odeva Lipany – MFK Vranov 1-0

FK Poprad B – TJ Mladosť Kalša 2-2

FK Družstevník Plavnica – 1. FC Tatran Prešov 0-1

TJ FK Veľké Revištia – MŠK Tesla Stropkov 0-2

ŠK Milénium Bardejovská Nová Ves – FK NOVES Spišská Nová Ves 2-1

1. FK Svidník – OŠFK Šarišské Michaľany 3-4

FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy – FK Humenné 0-2

Table

1	1. FC Tatran Prešov	14	11	1	2	41-12	34	Promotion to 2. Liga
2	ŠK Odeva Lipany	14	11	1	2	41-14	34
3	FK Humenné	14	10	2	2	33-9	32
4	MFK Vranov	14	10	1	3	31-10	31
5	MŠK Tesla Stropkov	14	8	2	4	23-18	26
6	FK Poprad B	14	8	1	5	28-26	25
7	TJ Mladosť Kalša	14	7	3	4	29-24	24
8	OŠFK Šarišské Michaľany	14	7	2	5	18-21	23
9	MFK Snina	14	6	2	6	20-22	20
10	1. FK Svidník	14	5	4	5	18-19	19
11	Milénium Bardejovská Nová Ves	14	4	2	8	21-36	14
12	FK NOVES Spišská Nová Ves	14	3	3	8	15-19	12
13	FK Družstevník Plavnica	14	2	3	9	10-27	9
14	FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy	14	2	2	10	16-25	8
15	TJ FK Veľké Revištia	14	2	0	12	8-43	6	Relegation to 4. Liga
16	MFK Slovan Giraltovce	14	1	1	12	9-36	4	Relegation to 4. Liga

Round 16 (2-3 November 2019)

1. FC Tatran Prešov – TJ Mladosť Kalša

ŠK Odeva Lipany – FK Humenné

FK Poprad B – MFK Vranov

FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy – OŠFK Šarišské Michaľany

1. FK Svidník – FK NOVES Spišská Nová Ves

ŠK Milénium Bardejovská Nová Ves – MŠK Tesla Stropkov

TJ FK Veľké Revištia – MFK Snina

MFK Slovan Giraltovce – FK Družstevník Plavnica