After several defeats, 1. FK Svidník finally get a draw but are still bottom of the table

1. FK Svidník - Stará L'ubovňa Redfox FC 0-0

Sunday, 1 October 2023, 3:30 pm local time (1:30 pm UTC), Mestský futbalový štadión, Svidník, Slovakia, 9th round of the Slovak Third League - East Group (III. Liga - Východ).

 Stará L'ubovňa Redfox FC (in yellow and black), the referees and 1. FK Svidník (in red) before the start of the game. Photo source: capture from the YouTube broadcast of the game

1. FK Svidník have a very poor start of the season, losing several consecutive matches at home (1-0 to both FTC Fil'akovo and Novohrad Lučenec) and away (3-2 at Baník Kalinovo) before having a rest day in the previous round. It one of the worst starts imaginable, although not that bad as two years ago, when they had no points whatsoever at winter break. The team is certainly in a transition from the previous period, under manager Palša, and the current period, with new president, new manager and almost entirely a new team, with very little help from their supposed ”mother team”, FK Humenné.

On the other hand, Stará L'ubovňa Redfox FC, though newly-promoted, seem to be a very solid side for this competition, and they could have easily won the game if they scored at least one of their great opportunities throughout the game. It was not the case, and Svidník got themselves a point out of nowhere - their only merit being the very strong defence and the fact that they believed until the end that a 0-0 is possible. In the attack, the home side had very few chances, if any.

So, there is not much to be said about a game without goals, except to make a list of all the big opportunities missed by the visitors. First, Samuel Kuc headed wide from short range (7'), then Tomáš Štefaník's shot went wide (15'), while Filip Serečin wanted to dribble once more instead of shooting from the centre of the box (17'). The frequency of chances dropped a bit in the second part of the first half, but there were still many of them.

1. FK Svidník had their only offensive period in this game at the beginning of the second half, when they pressed for an opening goal for about 10 minutes, missing a good chance by Matúš Lukčo, after a corner (53').

Soon enough the visitors were once again in the opposite box, and their domination was almost total. They had some incredible chances, by means of Filip Serečin (57'), Kamil Karaš (65') and Dávid Haščák (72'), but goalkeeper Anton Dzupina saved and blocked miraculously, and the Svidník defenders made a good job. There were also some chances in stoppage time, when the visitors intensified their attacks once again, but the home side defended well to get a draw, which gives them one point.

Svidník: Dzupina - Dos Santos, Lukčo, Grejták, Ducár (Gajdoš 84') - Leško, Jiménez Yánez - Fedor, Pončák, Klučár (Palaj 75') - Vasil'. Manager: Tomáš Suslo.

L'ubovňa: Švec - Witek, Turlík, Piter Bučko, Kuc (Vojtek 68') - Bomba (Rindoš 61') - Štefaník (Haščák 61'), Karaš, Serečin, Majeran - Perháč (Tináth 61'). Manager: Piotr Kapusta.

Referee: Jakub Eperješi.

Yellow cards: Klučár 35', Ducár 35', Dos Santos 49', Fedor 80', Vasil' 87' - Štefaník 61', Piter Bučko 90'.

Full results, table and fixtures:

 

Round 9 (29 September – 1 October 2023)

 

Slávia TU Košice – TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé 3-0

MŠK Námestovo – MFK Snina 1-2

Partizán Bardejov BŠK – ŠK Odeva Lipany 5-1

MŠK Rimavská Sobota – MŠK Spišské Podhradie 1-0

TJ Baník Kalinovo – MŠK Novohrad Lučenec 1-2

MŠK Tesla Stropkov – MFK Vranov nad Topľou 4-0

1. FK Svidník – Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC 0-0

FTC Fiľakovo bye

 

Table

 

1	MŠK Tesla Stropkov	8	5	2	1	18-5	17	Promotion to 2. Liga
2	MŠK Rimavská Sobota	8	4	3	1	11-7	15
3	Slávia TU Košice	8	4	2	2	16-10	14
4	MFK Snina	7	4	2	1	18-13	14
5	FTC Fiľakovo	8	4	2	2	11-8	14
6	Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC	9	4	2	3	13-15	14
7	MŠK Novohrad Lučenec	9	3	3	3	10-14	12
8	MŠK Námestovo	7	3	1	3	14-9	10
9	ŠK Odeva Lipany	8	3	1	4	15-15	10
10	MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou	8	3	1	4	17-19	10
11	TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé	8	3	1	4	9-15	10
12	TJ Baník Kalinovo	9	3	0	6	14-18	9
13	Partizán Bardejov BŠK	7	2	2	3	14-16	8
14	MŠK Spišské Podhradie	8	2	2	4	13-17	8	Possible relegation to 4. Liga
15	1. FK Svidník	8	0	2	6	8-20	2	Relegation to 4. 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 10 (7-8 October 2023)

 

ŠK Odeva Lipany – Slávia TU Košice

Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC – FTC Fiľakovo

MFK Vranov nad Topľou – Partizán Bardejov BŠK

MŠK Spišské Podhradie – MŠK Novohrad Lučenec

TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé – 1. FK Svidník

MFK Snina – MŠK Tesla Stropkov

MŠK Rimavská Sobota – MŠK Námestovo

TJ Baník Kalinovo bye