MŠK Novohrad Lučenec farther away from relegation, 1. FK Svidník closer to it

MŠK Novohrad Lučenec - 1. FK Svidník 4-2 (3-0)

Pipíška 21' penalty, Dedok 30', Oláh 35', 90'+3' - Oufouet 77', 88' penalty.

Saturday, 13 April 2024, 4 pm local time (2 pm UTC), Štadión v Parku, Lučenec, Slovakia, 22nd round of the Slovak Third League - East Group (III. Liga - Východ).

 MŠK Novohrad Lučenec starting line-up. Photo source: ŠPORT V NOVOHRADE Facebook page

1. FK Svidník starting line-up. Photo source: ŠPORT V NOVOHRADE Facebook page

The referees, in between the players of the two teams. Photo source: ŠPORT V NOVOHRADE Facebook page

The battle to avoid relegation is more and more intense, as we approach the end of the season, and this is visible in the manner in which teams are fighting for each available point. MŠK Novohrad Lučenec are in a changing mood, as they lost their previous home game against Partizán Bardejov, but then won unexpectedly away at Slávia TU Košice. Their match against bottom-placed 1. FK Svidník was a good chance to record a second consecutive win and to get farther away from the dangerous part of the table. On the other hand, 1. FK Svidník are in a desperate situation, which is getting worse by the hour. Despite starting the second half of the season with four consecutive home games, they only managed to win one of them, losing the other three, and the away record is even worse, as they lost everything so far, and this match was no exception.

On this occasion, however, they had some excuses, and the first one is that the first goal came from a penalty which was not really a penalty. After a rather balanced start of the game, with chances at both ends, Grejták committed a foul on Kovalčin, while the ball was somewhere else on the right side, and the referee gave a penalty, although the foul was outside the box. Pipíška converted: 1-0 (21').

MŠK Novohrad Lučenec players celebrate after scoring. Photo source: ŠPORT V NOVOHRADE Facebook page

The goal transformed the game, because the home side received the confidence they needed, while the visitors made unexpected mistakes in defence and in midfield, which led to further goals. A ball easily lost in midfield by Svidník players was intercepted by one of Lučenec midfielders, who launched Dedok along an open corridor towards the target, and Dedok did not miss: 2-0 (30'). Jurč missed a good chance for Svidník, but at the other end, after a swift counterattack, Oláh scored once again for the home side after passing through the defense with a one-two with one of his attacking colleagues: 3-0 (35').

In the second half, the visitors started more determined to score and turn the game into their favour. Their domination lasted for about 15 minutes, in which time they only had a good opportunity, by means of Oufouet, who took well a free kick from just outside the box, but Jenčo saved (54'). Then, the home side once again took control of the game, and reached easily the opposite box, where they missed several important chances, such as the one by Berky (64'), whose close range shot went above the crossbar. 

The match became more and more open, with both teams alternating attacks and having goal-scoring opportunities. The visitors succeeded to have a sort of a come back in the last quarter of an hour. A free kick from the centre of the field was taken by Grejták, who sent the ball high in the box, Voitiuk headed to Oufouet, who controlled and shot from close range: 3-1 (77').

The goal gave more courage to Svidník, who pushed for more. Oufouet proved to be more efficient as a forward, instead of a defensive midfielder. However, the goal did not come from an action, but from another penalty, this time legit, since Voitiuk was clearly fouled inside the box. Oufouet converted: 3-2 (88').

The game was heading for a tense finale. Svidník tried everything to get an equalizer, leaving large open spaces in their defence, risking more and more, and the home side knew how to take advantage of this. In the last action of the game, Molnár crossed in front of the goal from the right side, Svidník defenders failed to clear, and Oláh scored from close range, establishing the final score: 4-2 (90'+3').

Lučenec: Jenčo - Šulek (Hulec 46'), Fabian, Pipíška, Suja, Ufrla (Budáč 75'), Kotora, Berky, Oláh, Dedok (Molnár 75'), Kovalčin (Matuška 84'). Manager: Tomáš Boháčik. 

Svidník: Haluška - Ducár, Grejták, Šimco, Luščík (Lukčo 67') - Oravec, Leško (Palaj 60'), Oufouet, Jurč (Hoponko 77'), Klučár - Voitiuk. Manager: Jozef Motyl'.

Referee: Peter Cvengroš.

Yellow cards: Oláh 26', Fabian 59' - Voitiuk 45', Klučár 50'.

Full results, table and fixtures:

 

Round 22 (13-14 April 2024)

 

Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC – Partizán Bardejov BŠK 3-0

MŠK Novohrad Lučenec –1. FK Svidník 4-2

MFK Vranov nad Topľou – MŠK Rimavská Sobota 3-2

ŠK Odeva Lipany – MŠK Námestovo 2-1

TJ Baník Kalinovo – FTC Fiľakovo 1-1

TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé – MŠK Tesla Stropkov 2-0

MŠK Spišské Podhradie – MFK Snina 0-2

Slávia TU Košice bye

 

Table

 

1	MŠK Tesla Stropkov	20	11	4	5	41-22	37	Promotion to 2. Liga
2	FTC Fiľakovo	21	11	4	6	34-30	37
3	MFK Snina	20	10	6	4	42-33	36
4	ŠK Odeva Lipany	21	11	2	8	39-29	35
5	Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC	21	11	4	6	43-30	34
6	MŠK Rimavská Sobota	20	10	4	6	36-23	34
7	MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou	20	9	4	7	45-37	31
8	TJ Baník Kalinovo	21	9	3	9	41-37	30
9	Slávia TU Košice	20	8	5	7	36-33	29
10	MŠK Novohrad Lučenec	21	8	4	9	26-35	28
11	MŠK Námestovo	20	7	3	10	29-36	24
12	MŠK Spišské Podhradie	21	5	5	11	30-39	20
13	TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé	21	6	2	13	23-36	20
14	Partizán Bardejov BŠK	20	5	4	11	26-46	19	Possible relegation to 4. Liga
15	1. FK Svidník	21	4	4	13	26-51	16	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 23 (20-21 April 2024)

 

Partizán Bardejov BŠK – TJ Tatran Oravské Veselé

MŠK Námestovo – MFK Vranov nad Topľou

Slávia TU Košice – Stará Ľubovňa Redfox FC

FTC Fiľakovo – MŠK Novohrad Lučenec

MŠK Tesla Stropkov – ŠK Odeva Lipany

MŠK Rimavská Sobota – MFK Snina

TJ Baník Kalinovo – MŠK Spišské Podhradie

1. FK Svidník bye