Our 34-time defending men's football champions visited Serbian side Cukaricki in the 5th round of the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. Prior to the match, Fiorentina topped our quartet with eight points, while our team were second on six points with a better goal difference, ahead of Genk and Cukaricki with zero. Our squad was not complete due to injuries to several players, with the likes of Barnabas Varga, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane and Sammy Mmaee. Our head coach Dejan Stankovic sent on the starting line-up of Dibusz - Makreckis, Cissé, Abena, Ramírez - Sigér, Abu Fani - Zachariassen - Marquinhos, Pesic, Traoré.

First half

Our team took the kick-off, and we had to wait until the fourth minute for our first serious situation. Pesic then sent Traoré ahead, but his shot was saved by the home goalkeeper. Three minutes later, Abu Fani tried a long-range effort, but his attempt was wide of the target. In the tenth minute our opponents took the lead, Luka Adzsics curled into the net for Dénes Dibusz (1-0). Soon after Pesics was in position, but the shot flew slightly to the right from 17 meters over the goal. In the 17th minute Miladinovic shot but Dibusz saved confidently. Four minutes later, Marquinhos tried after a good cross but missed the target, then Makreckis started on the right flank but his cross was cleared ahead of Traoré.

In the 26th minute, Kovacs had a chance, but the defenders saved to a corner. The corner kick was repeated several times for the home team, and Cissé headed the ball just in front of Miladinovic, who aimed at Dibusz, who saved his rebounded shot. From the counter-attack, Zachariassen threatened, but his curling effort went past the right post. In the 33rd minute, a left-wing centering was missed by our attackers and Sigér's shot was cleared off the goal line by the home side. Four minutes before the end of the first half, Abu Fani crossed the ball into the middle but the onrushing Marquinhos headed wide of the goal.

Second half

At the break our head coach made three substitutions, Makreckis was replaced by Botka, Sigér by Lisztes and Ramírez by Civic. In the 49th minute, Dejan Stankovic had to make a forced substitution: the injured Traoré was replaced by Katona. In the 53rd minute Lisztes shot from an acute angle and Filipovic saved with bravura. Two minutes later, Pesics headed and then disappeared around the five-yard box, but the referee's whistle remained silent. In the 59th minute, Abu Fani's long-range shot was blocked by Filipovic, but Pesics could not get a hand to the rebound.

In the 68th minute, Katona tried to score, but his promising long-range shot ended up just wide of the goal. A minute later, our team took advantage of their last substitution opportunity, Abena was replaced by Besics. Seven minutes later, Lisztes had a shot but it went over the goal. Then in the 83rd minute the equaliser came, Katona crossed the ball into the middle and Zachariassen came on and found the net (1-1). In the injury time both teams had chances to score the winning goal. First, Dibusz made a great save in the last minute of normal time, and then in the 2nd minute of extra time, Zachariassen missed a shot after Abu Fani's cross. It looked as if we would leave Serbia with a draw, but in the 98th minute, after a deep cross, Aleksandar Pesic took the ball and scored a bomb into the home net, and in the last minute of the seven-minute extra time, we secured a very valuable victory (1-2)!

With one round to go, Ferencváros are second in UEFA Europa Conference League Group F, three points ahead of Genk. A draw at home to Fiorentina in two weeks' time will be enough to secure progress.