1. FK Svidník climbed from bottom, FK Spišská Nová Ves farther from the top

1. FK Svidník - FK Spišská Nová Ves 2-0 (1-0)

Haňak 45', Ivanecký 66' penalty.

Sunday, 24 April 2022, 4 pm local time (2 pm UTC), Mestský futbalový štadión, Svidník, Slovakia, 21st round of the Slovak Third League - East Group (3. Liga - Východ).

The result of this match might prove decisive for both ends of the table. At the top, FK Spišská Nová Ves, which had 5 points ahead of 1. FC Tatran Prešov before the start of the second half of the season, are now 5 points behind in second place and the chances of promotion are getting slimmer every day. At the bottom, 1. FK Svidník have finally left the last place and climbed on the second to last with these surprising three points. This is their first home win in an actual match throughout the whole season - all their previous wins were away, and the only home win before this came as a result of no show by the opponents.

Goalkeeper Milan Vinclér kept a clean sheet for 1. FK Svidník and helped them win this match. Source: vranovske.sk

FK Spišská Nová Ves were big favorites to win this game, despite their rather poor start of the second half of the season. 1. FK Svidník had lost 5-0 the local derby away at Tesla Stropkov right before this match and this result might have given the visitors the false impression that Svidník will be a weak opponent.

Nothing more mistaken than that. On a cold rainy day, even from the start, the home side gave a very consistent reply, with both managers in the field - Vladislav Palša appearing for the first time as a player in the field for Svidník, in centre back position (but had to retire after half an hour, injured), while Oliver Špilár played as a defensive midfielder. Palša actually provided an assist, with a long ball searching for Kristián Hirka, who was only stopped in the box after a long run (11'). 

The match was quite balanced, with both teams charging vigorously, but without too many goal opportunities. The situation changed towards the end of the first half. Dávid Ivanecký had a good chance but missed the ball inside the box (40'). Then the goal came from a similar action: this time Ivanecký won a ball in midfield, launched Rafael Guman on the right side, whose cross found Vladislav Haňak in excellent position in the box, and Haňak scored with a shot below the crossbar: 1-0 (45').

In the second half, the rain intensified, helping the home side, and creating one more hindrance for the visitors, who tried hard to equalize. However, the second half started with another great opportunity for Svidník, from a set piece, more precisely a free kick, executed by Ivanecký, and Haňak headed very close to the post (46').

Then, for about 20 minutes, the visitors took total control of the game, and attacked almost continuously. Their biggest chance belonged to Kristián Slebodník, whose shot from close range was miraculously saved by Milan Vinclér (51'). Then, after a corner, Marek Janečka headed the ball towards the far post, but the Svidník defenders succeeded somehow to clear, one meter in front of the goal line (57').

The pressure made by Spišská Nová Ves intensified, and just when everybody was convinced that the equalizer would come sooner or later, one action turned the match decisively in favour of the home side. A simple throw-in from the left side in their own half, and the ball was played towards the goalkeeper Tomáš Gaborčík, who came out from the box, to get the ball. Then he mistakenly passed to the centre of the box, but there was Rafael Guman, who was on the verge of scoring in the empty net when he was tackled by Tomáš Ontko (65'). The referee awarded the penalty for Svidník, while Ontko was sent off. Dávid Ivanecký transformed the penalty: 2-0 (66').

With one man up, 1. FK Svidník succeeded to maintain the game in the opposite half as much as possible, and even had several other chances to score. Gaborčík had to save two consecutive shots, one from long range, by Špilar, and the other one from close range, by Josef Sova (71'). The home side treated rather superficially the opportunities, and this might have costed them, because Michal Gibala missed the target by very little in one of the few occasions that the visitors had (82'). If he had scored, the final minutes of the game would have been very difficult for Svidník.

Svidník: Vinclér - T. Čabala, Tatar, Palša (Makara 33'), Ducár - Špilár - Sova (Gajdoš 89'), Ivanecký, Hirka, Guman - Haňak (Luščík 85'). Manager: Vladislav Palša.

Spišská Nová Ves: Gaborčík - Udagawa, Korba (Gibala 68'), Baranyi, T. Ontko, Janečka, L'. Ontko (Ištváník 68'), Šomšák (Slebodník 46'), Kavulič (Kunzo 60'), Zekucia, Hagara (Attah Junior 46'). Manager: Branislav Ondáš.

Referee: Marcel Maličký.

Yellow cards: Haňak 45'+1', Vinclér 90'+3' - Korba 17', Kavulič 56', Janečka 90'+3'.

Red card: T. Ontko 65'.

Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 21 (16-17 April 2022)

 

MFK Vranov nad Topľou – ŠK Odeva Lipany 1-0

FK Poprad – FK Sobrance-Sobranecko 2-0

FK Spišská Nová Ves – FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy 6-0

Slávia TU Košice – 1. FC Tatran Prešov 1-4

MFK Snina – MFK Slovan Giraltovce 1-0

MŠK Spišské Podhradie – OŠK Rudňany 5-2

MŠK Tesla Stropkov – 1. FK Svidník 5-0

TJ Mladosť Kalša – OFK-SIM Raslavice 4-1

 

Round 22 (23-24 April 2022)

 

1. FC Tatran Prešov – MFK Vranov nad Topľou 1-0

FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy – FK Poprad 1-1

OŠK Rudňany – Slávia TU Košice 0-5

MFK Slovan Giraltovce – MŠK Spišské Podhradie 0-0

ŠK Odeva Lipany – TJ Mladosť Kalša 3-0

1. FK Svidník – FK Spišská Nová Ves 2-0

FK Sobrance-Sobranecko – MFK Snina 2-2

OFK-SIM Raslavice – MŠK Tesla Stropkov 0-4

 

Table

 

1	1. FC Tatran Prešov	22	19	0	3	77-17	57	Promotion to 2. Liga
2	FK Spišská Nová Ves	22	16	4	2	59-13	52
3	ŠK Odeva Lipany	22	14	5	3	64-17	47
4	MŠK Tesla Stropkov	22	14	3	5	53-16	45
5	Slávia TU Košice	22	13	5	4	55-23	44
6	MFK Snina	22	13	3	6	46-25	42
7	FK Poprad	22	11	5	6	37-24	38
8	MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou	22	11	4	7	43-30	37
9	TJ Mladosť Kalša	22	8	3	11	40-56	27	Relegation to 4. Liga
10	MFK Slovan Giraltovce	22	6	5	11	21-32	23	Relegation to 4. Liga
11	FK Sobrance-Sobranecko	22	5	5	12	27-40	20	Relegation to 4. Liga
12	MŠK Spišské Podhradie	22	4	4	14	17-66	16	Relegation to 4. Liga
13	OFK-SIM Raslavice	22	4	3	15	20-53	15	Relegation to 4. Liga
14	OŠK Rudňany	22	4	1	17	29-71	13	Relegation to 4. Liga
15	1. FK Svidník	22	4	1	17	16-74	13	Relegation to 4. Liga
16	FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy	22	3	3	16	18-65	12	Relegation to 5. Liga

 

In case that two or more teams are equal on points, the main ranking criteria are the results of the head-to-head matches.

 

Round 23 (30 April – 1 May 2022)

 

MFK Slovan Giraltovce – OŠK Rudňany

FK Poprad – 1. FK Svidník

FK Spišská Nová Ves – OFK-SIM Raslavice

MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou – Slávia TU Košice

MFK Snina – FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy

MŠK Tesla Stropkov – ŠK Odeva Lipany

TJ Mladosť Kalša – 1. FC Tatran Prešov

MŠK Spišské Podhradie – FK Sobrance-Sobranecko