Match Report: Vidi were very close to equalising

The Groupama Arena was the setting for Wednesday's Champions League, play off, first leg against AEK Athens. The fate is a place in the Champions League Group Stage for the winners, which would be the first time a Hungarian club could achieve this since Debrecen 10 years ago.

Both sides started the game cautiously without a real chance inside the opening 15 minutes. The game changed suddenly after 23 minztes when Huszti slid in on Bakasetas, which produced a red card from the Italian match official. That surprised everybody inside the stadium. The game became tense after that and there were 5 yellow cards produced by Rocchi, with 3 to Vidi and 2 to the Greek side.

AEK went ahead from the first chance of the game after 35 minutes. Bakasetas shot from 15 meters, which Kovacsik saved, but the rebound fell to Klonaridis, who rolled the ball into the back of the net (0-1). Vidi with a man down did not give up. They almost levelled after 39 minutes. Kovacs sent a good ball into the middle from the left, which Fiola met with a powerful header, but Barkas in the visiting goal saved really well to deny him. AEK placed pressure on the home goal towards the final minutes of the first period. However, the defence stopped the Greek attacks and the sides went in at the break with AEK leading by a single goal. 

The general picture of the game did not change after half time. Vidi continue with a man down with the Greek side having more of the ball. Bakasetas shot from 16 meters on 49 minutes, which Kovacsik could not reach. The ball nestled in the back of the net to make the score 0-2. AEK were also reduced to 10 men after the second goal. Bakasetas challenged Nego, and the Italian referee showed a red card. 

Matalos headed at goal after 56 minutes, which Kovacsik did well to save from as it was heading towards the bottom left corner. The game was much more even with 10 against 10. Nego went close after 66 minutes to scoring with his low shot being stopped by Barkas. Two minutes later, Kovacs played a lovely ball in to Lazovic, who controlled it on his chest and beat the final defender before scoring from 14 meters to make the score 1-2.

Danko Lazovic is a specialist when it comes to scoring against AEK. He did the same for Zenit in 2010 in the Champions League group stage. 

Vidi attacked after the goal and Kovacs' shot after 70 minutes was stopped by a the visiting keeper. Scepovic then had a shot a minute later, which went just over the Greek goal. There was a real good atmosphere inside the Groupama Arena with Vidi trying hard to find the equalising goal. Hadzic powerful shot went over on 74 minutes as the action continued. Stopira headed a ball across goal moments later for Vidi. 

AEK tried to slow things down with some of their substitutions while Vidi continued to press forward with energy. Hadzic and Scepovic saw their shots fail to hit the target towards the end. 

The final whistle blew and Vidi suffered a 2-1 defeat at home in the first leg. However, Danko Lazovic' goal does give the Fehervar side hope for the return leg next week in Athens. It will be a very big challenge for Vidi, who will need to score at least two goals to have a chance in front of 50,000 fanatical supporters.