Videoton kick off the spring season with a win

The first league game of the spring season took pace on Saturday afternoon. The opponents were ninth in the OTP league table Vasas. 

The Budapest side did not have too much change to their squad over the winter with former Vidi player David Barczi starting for them. Manager Marko Nikolic named several new players in his team. Stefan Sceopvic and Boban Nikolov started while Tomas Tujvel and Szabolcs Huszti took their place on the subs bench. Another newcomer on the bench was Elvir Hadzic.

The first action of the game went to the visitors in the first minute. Hangya sent a weak shot from 17 meters but it did not threaten the home goal. The next effort arrived on 19 minutes when Stopira escaped down the left and he chose to pass instead of shoot and the ball flew beyond Patkai. 

Hadzic had a good shot at goal from 23 meters in the 23rd minute, which produced a good save from keeper Kamenar. The first Vidi goal of the spring season arrived after 26 minutes. Stopira played a ball in from the left that found Hadzic, and the midfielder beat the stranded Kamenar to make it 1-0. 

Fiola blocked a 31st minute Berecz shot and the ball rebounded out for a corner. Lazovic then sent a lovely ball into the path of Nikolov, who was one-on-one with the defender, but Kamenar dealt with the resulting shot and the score remained at 1-0. The action continued with a 30 meters Lazovic cross to Stefan, who tested the keeper and again Kamenar did well. Another big chance came on 38 minutes with a 20 meters Lazovic free kick being flicked on to the arriving Stopira, who from 5 meters blasted the ball against the bar. Hadzic sent the resulting rebound into the side netting. 

Vasas levelled before half time when Barczi found Remili on the right, and his first time ball into the middle was met by the outstretched foot of Adam Martin to make it 1-1. Vasas again pressed forward and Martin saw his shot saved well by Kovacsik, who parried it onto the post. A Nego cross on 43 minutes was headed over by Marko Scepovic. The sides went in at the break with the score at 1-1.

Vida had the first chance of the second half, which was comfortably collected by Kovacsik. Referee Zsolt Szabo produced the first yellow of the match to Adam Martin for his elbow on Fiola. Barczi was next to enter the book for his challenge on Stopira. The winning goal came after 61 minutes and it really was a fine move. Lazovic played a lovely curling ball to the right to the waiting Nikolov, whose ball into the middle was met powerfully by the head of Stefan to make it 2-1. 

Stopira was forced to come off moments later after he felt the back of his right leg. He was replaced by Vinicius, who slipped into the centre of defence with Fiola moving out to the left. 

The referee's whistle remained silent on 69 minutes when Lazovic and Benes collided and went down inside the box. Barczi fouled Lazovic following a counter attack and the referee produced the second yellow to send him off and reduce the visitors to 10 men. 

Pavlov came on for Remili after 76 minutes for Vasas. Adam's cross after 82 minutes bounced off Nego and out for a corner. Benes pulled back Lazovic from the resulting corner, but Szabo again did not stop the game. 

Varga came on towards the end in place of Marko Scepovic, while Istvan Kovacs did the same with Danko Lazovic coming off. Former Vidi player Tamas Vasko came on for the visitors to add height to their attack. There was no further change to the score, which meant Vidi kicked off the spring season and 2018 with 3 points. They travel next week to Budapest to play Honved.