Narrow win for ŠK Odeva Lipany over 1. FK Svidník in the first match of the season

ŠK Odeva Lipany - 1. FK Svidník 2-1 (1-1)

Mário Jacko 19' penalty, 54' - Michal Tokar 37'.

Saturday, 6 August 2022, 6 pm local time (4 pm UTC), ŠK Odeva Stadium, Lipany, Slovakia, the 1st round of the Slovak Third League - East Group (3. Liga - Východ).

A year ago, the same teams happened to play in the first round of the previous season. ŠK Odeva Lipany smashed their opponents by 12-0, a score which speaks for itself about the great difference in value at that time between a club fighting for promotion and one on the verge of dissolution.

This time, although the Lipany team won again, their task was much more difficult. 1. FK Svidník has become one of those teams capable of any result, under the careful management of Vladislav Palša. The hosts barely succeeded in getting the three points, and the tension remained right until the final whistle.

The match had a good pace from the very beginning. Odeva Lipany attacked fiercely in the first minutes, then 1. FK Svidník replied with a succession of opportunities and corners at the other end. When it was again the time for the hosts to attack, they scored, but the goal was cancelled for offside. However, just a minute after, a tackle in the box determined the referee to award a penalty for Lipany, which was transformed by Mário Jacko: 1-0 (19').

In the next minutes after the goal, the visitors seemed to be accusing the shock of receiving a goal, while the home side pushed for a second one, to no avail. Svidník goalkeeper Milan Vinclér was in great shape. Gradually, the visitors balanced the game and started to charge the opposite goal. A long range shot by Michal Tokar was luckily deflected and ended up in the back of the net: 1-1 (37').

The hosts reacted furiously, trying to regain the advantage as soon as possible. But it was only possible after the break, and after another great save by Milan Vinclér (51'). The Svidník goalkeeper could not however save a header from short range by the same Mário Jacko, as the ball was sent into the box from a free kick: 2-1 (54').

The game was very much disputed towards the end, but no goals were scored, despite the fact that both teams had some excellent chances. 

Lipany: Bartoš - Jacko, Kovalčík, Dlugoš, Kamenec, Micherda (Marchevka 90'), Vitovič (Popovec 75'), M. Kral'ovič (Mi. Vysočan 66'), S. Kral'ovič (Amrich 90'), Poremba, Ma. Vysočan (Blaško 90'). Manager: Pavol Vytykač.

Svidník: Vinclér - T. Čabala, Olejár, Ducár, Klučár (Magul'ak 34') - Guman (Gajdoš 87'), Ivanecký, Špilár, Ardishvili, Hirka (Sabolčík 57') - Tokar. Manager: Vladislav Palša.

Referee: Peter Židišin.

Yellow cards: Ma. Vysočan 72', S. Kral'ovič 85' - Ardishvili 27', Olejár 53', Špilár 75'.

In the next week, 1. FK Svidník will play away at OŠK Teplička in the first round of the Slovak (Slovnaft) Cup on Wednesday, 10 August, then at home in the second round of the Third League, against MŠK NOVOHRAD Lučenec, on Sunday, 14 August. 

OFK Tryavna expelled from the Bulgarian Football Union and all competitions, Boruna Tsareva Livada promoted to the Third League

OFK Tryavna fell victim to the war for power in the Bulgarian Football Union, led by Borislav Mihaylov. The troubles began in November 2021, when the elections for the president of the Bulgarian Football Union ended up with a narrow win by Borislav Mihaylov, against his main competitor, Dimitar Berbatov. Berbatov soon contested the result of the elections, and in June 2022 a court decided that indeed the regulations have not been properly and entirely respected, so new elections will have to take place.

However, in the meantime, Dimitar Berbatov summoned his supporters on 18 March 2022, to held ”elections”, which were nevertheless not recognized. All the 80 clubs that participated in the congress called by Dimitar Berbatov received the same penalty: they were expelled from the Bulgarian Football Union and from all competitions. OFK Tryavna was one of these clubs. Despite leading the classification in the Gabrovo Regional League, with good chances for promotion to the Bulgarian Third League, they were expelled. Boruna Tsareva Livada promoted to the Third League, and play in the North-West Group in the 2022-2023 season, which has just started.

It is now difficult to guess what will happen to the 80 clubs that have been expelled. If the court decision stands, it might mean that all decisions taken by Bulgarian Football Union after November 2021 are null and void, including this one. On the other hand, it would be undemocratic to cancel all the possible votes for Dimitar Berbatov, the main opposition candidate, by simply removing all the clubs supporting him. It would probably be wise for the Bulgarian Football Union to reinstate all the expelled clubs within their ranks, and to allow them to compete in the 2022-2023 season. Even so, some of these clubs might bring the issue in court and seek justice for the period of time in which they were wrongfully expelled and not allowed to continue playing in their competitions, for reasons not related to sports, but rather politics.

Hopefully, we will see all these clubs back into competitions as soon as possible. OFK Tryavna might play another season in the Gabrovo Regional League. Another solution may be that new clubs are formed, from the ashes of the clubs that were expelled. These new clubs would have nothing to do juridically speaking with the former clubs, and should be allowed to compete, but it will be yet another blow to the continuity of football clubs in Bulgaria.