After nearly eight years, our defending champion men's soccer team played with a completely new team in the championship. On September 30, 2017, we were guests of Balmazújváros, and although the home team led 2-0, Fradi turned the game around with excellent football and won 3-2. Now, we welcomed another team from eastern Hungary, last year's NB II silver medalist Kazincbarcika, to the Groupama Arena in the second round of the Fizz League.

Compared to the midweek Champions League qualifier, which ended with a victory over FC Noah and advancement to the next round, Robbie Keane shook up the starting lineup considerably. Our Irish coach sent his team onto the pitch with the following lineup: Dibusz – Botka, Cissé, Raemaekers – Cadu, Zachariassen, Keita, Kanikovski, Barnabás Nagy – Gruber, Barnabás Varga.

1st half

Fradi started the match as expected. In the 4th minute, Barnabás Nagy burst in from the left side to meet a loose ball, but his shot was saved by Dániel Gyollai. However, eight minutes later, the goalkeeper, who had just returned from Northern Ireland, was powerless to stop the ball. Zsombor Gruber broke through on the right, dribbling past five Kazincbarcika players in front of the box, then after a superb solo run, he passed to the recently signed Gavriel Kanikovski, who shot from 20 meters, but his attempt bounced off and tricked Gyollai so the ball ended up in the bottom right corner. 1-0!

The visitors had to wait until the 23rd minute for their first attempt, when Norbert Könyves's low shot was easily saved by Dénes Dibusz. In response, Gruber took a promising free kick into the wall, but the rebound came back to him, and he curled it beautifully into the middle from the right, where Barnabás Varga arrived and headed it into the goal. 2-0!

Two minutes later, Cadu shot a free kick just over the goal, then Gruber was in position again, but this time Gyollai saved his shot from 20 meters. In the 37th minute, Gergő Szőke took a somewhat unexpected shot from 25 meters. The dangerously curving ball ultimately bounced off the crossbar and the left post.

In the 43rd minute, Naby Keita could have scored his first competitive goal for Fradi, but our midfielder was unselfish and played Varga through on goal, whose shot was off target. After the first half, Ferencváros led 2-0, having created many more chances and scored two goals.

2nd half 

The first big moment of the second half took place in front of Fradi's goal, when Major got hold of Dibusz's loose ball, but before he could shoot, Endre Botka slid in at just the right moment to clear the ball. On the other side, Gyollai saved another shot from Nagy.

Shortly afterwards, the visitors' goalkeeper had to save Varga's bouncing shot. Then, the visitors' goalkeeper had to save Varga's bouncing shot. Fradi continued to attack and create chances, but another goal was still to come. The closest to scoring was substitute Lenny Joseph, who tried to lob Gyollai in the 81st minute, but the goalkeeper saved.

A minute later, however, Fradi was awarded a penalty! Joseph was pushed inside the box, and the referee awarded a penalty. Gruber, who had played excellently throughout the match, stepped up to take the penalty and fired the ball into the right side of the goal with his left foot. 3-0! After the latest goal, Csirkovics also took to the field. 

Defending champions Ferencváros thus secured their first league victory in the second round today.