Videoton beat Honved 2-0 to win the league title

Videoton clinched the title with a good 2-0 win at the Pancho Arena on Sunday evening.

Videoton faced Budapest Honved in match 32 of the OTP league on Sunday evening. They went into the game knowing that a win would secure the league title. Ferencvaros played their earlier match with Diosgyőr at 17:30 and emerged 4-0 winners. That saw them go level at the top with the same amount of points. 

Vidi had Danko Lazovic back in the line-up, replacing Jozsef Varga in midfield. That meant Anel Hadzic drifted back into a more defensive position. Club owner Istvan Garancsi, Zsolt Hernadi and DAC owner Oszkar Vilagi took the kick off, but it was Honved who started the game. The first 10 minutes did not really produce a chance on either goal. Patkai went into the box after 8 minutes. A Stopira cross after 14 minutes went over the head of keeper Grof, but it appeared for a moment that it would settle in the back of the net. The left back then sent in another trying cross with several arriving in the middle, but nobody could make the connection.

With 21 minutes on the clock, Kovacs released Stefan Scepovic who had a chance, but the keeper was quickest to react. Nego then broke through nicely and laid the ball to Stefan, who  played it onto the Lazovic. The Serbian forward took the ball and shot at goal but Grof saved the effort and the rebound fell to Stopira, but he could not find the target. 

Heffler collided with Patkai on 26 minutes, and Heffler went was cautioned as a result. Videoton went ahead after 27 minutes when a Nego throw in found Patkai, who cleverly took the ball beyond the defender and cut the ball back to Stefan, who found the back of the net. (1-0).

Lazovic found Stopira in the middle after 32 minutes, and he controlled the ball and blasted the ball from 23 meters, which Grof punched away for a corner. Lazovic took the corner and the left back could not head the ball into the goal. Lazovic crossed for Stefan after 34 minutes and he sent the ball towards goal, but Grof was again able handle it. Honved had very little of the ball in this period of the game. The visitors had their first chance on 40 minutes when Lanzafame turned inside and shot from 17 meters, but the ball went wide. Lazovic had the last chance of the first period with his curling free kick going wide. 

Eppel passed to Lanzafame after 48 minutes, who stepped into the box, but his shot was nicely blocked by Vinicius. Lanzafame shot wide from 24 meters. Nikolov blasted from 26 meters and it rebounded off a defender to go out for a corner. Honved brought on Danilo before the corner was taken in place of Kukoc. Kovacs stopped a counter attack from the visitors after 66 minutes, but he was booked for his tackle. 

Manager Marko Nikolic made his first change after 67 minutes when he brought on Marko Scepovic for his brother, Stefan. Nego crossed from the right after 71 minutes as the action continued inside a packed Pancho Arena. His cross found Patkai, who volleyed at goal with his left foot, but it was saved by Grof. 

Jozsef Varga came on for Kovacs after 75 minutes. The game was secured after 80 minutes and the third league title as a result: Lazovic lifted the ball towards Marko Scepovic, who took the ball down and found Patkai inside the box who passed to Nikolov. The Macedonian midfielder scored beyond Grof from 10 meters to make it 2-0. Lanzafame turned inside the box after 82 minutes and Vinicius slid in to clear the ball for a corner. Lazovic came off the pitch with 3 minutes left to be replaced by Fiola. 

Honved stepped things up in the final moments but could not find a goal. It is exactly one year that Vidi gain revenge for the league title decider of 2017. Videoton are the 2017/18 league champions.

Author: David Rechnitzer

More news