Paks, who are after a five-game losing streak in the NB Is, and Kisvárda, who are in the top flight and are in 11th place, will play each other on Tuesday (8 p.m., M4Sport) in the in the first semi-final of the Hungarian Cup.
On paper, the striker of the home team has better chances, Norbert Königés stated that, seeing the good form of the guests in the last two championship rounds, it is not easy to reach the cup final in a domestic environment.
They excelled against Újpest, the Szabolcs won 4-1, and then their 0-0 draw in the capital city against the champion Ferencváros showed that their defense closes excellently when it is needed.
In addition, the 21-year-old Várda goalkeeper, Marcell Kovács, saved at least half a dozen balls against Fradi when many were already calling for a goal.
– The young man really stood up well to Fradi’s attacks, the question is whether he will come up with a similar production against us – responded Könyves. – Our current series is not pleasant. After five consecutive defeats in the championship, our task is given: we have to get up from here. We will do it, even though Kisvárda stands in the way…
It is an exaggeration to say that Kisvárda would arrive in Paks rested. They traveled back to Szabolcs from the Groupama Arena on Saturday evening, the round trip was a total of 568 kilometers, and on Tuesday from Várda to Paks, which is another 407 km, i.e. almost a thousand kilometers, they will start the race in the nuclear city. However, the 21-year-old goalkeeper Kovács, born in Záhony, is not bothered by this respectable distance.
– I sleep on the bus, listen to music, read – reported Kovács, who revealed that he sat on the bench of the green and whites in two European Conference League matches. – I dreamed of not only being a substitute goalkeeper against my former club when I was younger, and here I was on Saturday in the Groupama Arena.
But how! After the goalless match, his former club mate, Soldier Bálint also noted that he could have conceded a goal; of course he didn’t. He hopes to save his outstanding form in Paks as well.
Although we are in penultimate place in NB I, we are in good shape, so I plan to advance. Since Fradi can beat Nyíregyháza away in the other semi-final on Wednesday, it is possible that I can be in goal against my former club again in the golden match of the Hungarian Cup.
The coach of Kisvárda, Tamás Feczkó, stated: their league position does not affect their mood before the cup semi-finals.
It is rather thought-provoking that our host can even throw players from the bench into battle who are capable of deciding matches. Paks can’t exactly be in a festive mood after their latest 5-0 defeat at the hands of Puskás Academy. I was informed of coach György Bognár’s opinion that his team was so deep a long time ago, but he reminded me that they really got going after their previous 6-1 defeat. Well, we have to pay attention to this, so that Paks doesn’t get a foothold against us
– said the coach, who bid farewell to his former team, MTK, in the top eight (3-2) in Kisvárda.
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