Svidník's remontada due to Norbert Grejták's late brace

1. FK Svidník - MFK Snina 2-1 (0-1)

Grejták 81', 90'+3' penalty - Dický 3' penalty

Sunday, 29 October 2023, 1:30 pm local time (11:30 am UTC), Svidník City Stadium, Svidník, Slovakia, 13th round of the Slovak Third League, East Group (III. Liga - Východ).

MFK Snina (left, in black), the referees and 1. FK Svidník (right, in red) before the start of the game. Photo source: capture from the YouTube video of the match

Bottom of the table 1. FK Svidník took on MFK Snina last Sunday, at home, and the match started as bad as it could for them. Right in the beginning, after a corner, Boris Pončák tackled Tomáš Kroka in the box, and the referee awarded a penalty for the visitors (2'). Captain Róbert Dický converted: 0-1 (3').

1. FK Svidník had to take control of the game and to try something, and were not far away from an equalizer, as Oliver Reiter hit the post from short range after a cross from the right (14'). The same Oliver Reiter claimed a penalty after a rough contact with an opponent in the box, but the referee did not award anything (27').

The visitors could have increased their advantage towards the end of the first half, when Patrik Košuda (39') and then Marcos De Oliveira (42') missed important chances, the latter denied by goalkeeper Anton Dzupina. Boris Pončák had also a chance for the home side, but his shot went slightly wide (43').

The second half began with MFK Snina in attack, and they had several opportunities to enlarge their lead, but either missed, and were blocked by the well-organized Svidník defense, or the goalkeeper Anton Dzupina (one of the heroes of the day). The biggest chance for the visitors came from the foot of Matúš Lukčo, who almost scored an own goal, but hit the post (69'). 

In the same minute, it looked like MFK Snina could no longer miss the win, as Márian Fedor was sent off for a rough tackle and 1. FK Svidník remained in ten (69'). But, as it sometimes happens, the visitors relaxed a bit, and their attacks reduced in terms of intensity, while the home side players improved their performance, to compensate for their lower number in the field.

And the surprise was not late in showing up. Aldahir Jiménez Yánez took a free kick from their own side, sending the ball high and long towards the opposite box, where, after two headers by Oliver Reiter and Matúš Lukčo, it came perfectly to Norbert Grejták for a shot to the near post: 1-1 (81').

The visitors launched attack after attack, trying to take the lead again, having also a man up and a better team (at least on paper). Their biggest chance came four minutes before the end, when Fandenwer González Méndez's shot from close range was saved by Anton Dzupina (86').

While the visitors tried hard to score, the home side defended heroically, but also had a few long balls meant for the forwards, to do something. In one such occasion, Oliver Reiter was able to control the ball, to dribble and to get into the box, where he was fouled by the unfortunate Richard Mat'oška (90'+1'). This time the referee awarded a penalty for Svidník, which was converted by Norbert Grejták, whose brace gave 1. FK Svidník an unexpected win, cheered by the crowd and players alike: 2-1 (90'+3').

Svidník: Dzupina - Ducár (Makara 85'), Grejták, Lukčo, Balica - Leško (Gajdoš 85'), Jiménez Yánez - Fedor, Pončák (Klučár 75'), Vasil' (Palaj 63') - Reiter. Manager: Tomáš Suslo.

Snina: Lajtár - Kridla, Mat'oška, Dický, González Méndez, Zapata Uzuriaga, Turik, Vinicius Veneranda, Kroka (Piliar 76'), Košuda (Bednár 87'), Marcos De Oliveira. Manager: René Kočan.

Referee: Dávid Gorel. 

Yellow cards: Ducár 28', Makara 88' - Košuda 38', Zapata Uzuriaga 48', Vinicius Veneranda 71', Mat'oška 90'+1'.

Red card: Fedor 69'.

Full results, table and fixtures before the winter break:

 

Round 13 (28-29 October 2023)

 

MŠK Novohrad Lučenec – TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé 1-0

Partizán Bardejov BŠK – MŠK Námestovo 5-2

Slávia TU Košice – MŠK Rimavská Sobota 1-3

1. FK Svidník – MFK Snina 2-1

TJ Baník Kalinovo – ŠK Odeva Lipany 3-1

MŠK Tesla Stropkov – MŠK Spišské Podhradie 1-0

FTC Fiľakovo – MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou 2-1

Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC bye

 

Round 14 (4-5 November 2023)

 

MFK Vranov nad Topľou – TJ Baník Kalinovo 3-1

ŠK Odeva Lipany – MŠK Novohrad Lučenec 3-0

MŠK Námestovo – Slávia TU Košice 0-1

MFK Snina – FTC Fiľakovo to be played on 5 November 2023

MŠK Rimavská Sobota – 1. FK Svidník to be played on 5 November 2023

MŠK Tesla Stropkov – Partizán Bardejov BŠK to be played on 5 November 2023

MŠK Spišské Podhradie – Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC to be played on 5 November 2023

TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé bye

 

Table

 

1	MŠK Tesla Stropkov	12	8	3	1	26-7	27	Promotion to 2. Liga
2	MŠK Rimavská Sobota	12	7	3	2	19-10	24
3	Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC	12	6	2	4	20-19	20
4	FTC Fiľakovo	12	6	2	4	17-17	20
5	MFK Snina	12	5	4	3	23-21	19
6	ŠK Odeva Lipany	13	6	1	6	24-20	19
7	MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou	13	5	3	5	31-26	18
8	Slávia TU Košice	13	5	3	5	20-18	18
9	MŠK Novohrad Lučenec	13	4	3	6	11-22	15
10	TJ Baník Kalinovo	13	5	0	8	21-25	15
11	TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé	12	4	2	6	12-19	14
12	MŠK Námestovo	12	4	2	6	20-19	14
13	MŠK Spišské Podhradie	12	3	3	6	19-22	12
14	Partizán Bardejov BŠK	11	3	3	5	20-28	12	Possible relegation to 4. Liga
15	1. FK Svidník	12	2	4	6	14-24	10	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 15 (11-12 November 2023)

 

FTC Fiľakovo – MŠK Rimavská Sobota

MŠK Novohrad Lučenec – MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou

Partizán Bardejov BŠK – MŠK Spišské Podhradie

Slávia TU Košice – MŠK Tesla Stropkov

Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC – TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé

1. FK Svidník – MŠK Námestovo

TJ Baník Kalinovo – MFK Snina

ŠK Odeva Lipany bye

 

Round 7 (17 November 2023)

 

MŠK Námestovo – ŠK Odeva Lipany

 

Round 8 (19 November 2023)

 

TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé – Partizán Bardejov BŠK