Resilient Kysucké Nové Mesto Finds Spark, Ends Drought with Defiant 2-0 Win Over Baník Kalinovo

The autumn chill hovering over Futbalový štadión MŠK Kysucké Nové Mesto Saturday afternoon was finally matched by a performance from the home side that brought warmth—and a hint of hope—to its beleaguered supporters. Kysucké Nové Mesto, mired deep in the 3. liga - Center standings and battered by weeks of frustration, delivered a composed and purposeful display to dispatch Baník Kalinovo, 2-0, and snap a worrying run that had threatened to define their campaign.

Rarely this season have Kysucké Nové Mesto looked so sharp, so together. A side that had tasted victory just once in its previous nine league outings—collecting a meager six points and languishing in 12th place—found potency at both ends of the pitch, securing a result that may yet prove a turning point as autumn gives way to the crucial middle third of the schedule.

A Game of Moments—and Redemption

From the opening whistle, it was clear the hosts had come primed for urgency. The opening quarter-hour saw Baník Kalinovo, themselves chasing a bounce back from last week’s disappointment at Oravské Veselé, attempt to settle into their usual rhythm. Yet, Kysucké Nové Mesto’s pressing forced hurried passes and denied the visitors any semblance of comfort.

The breakthrough for the home side came in the 28th minute, the product of both tenacity and guile. Midfielder Tomáš Hrivnák, whose combative play in recent weeks has offered glimmers amid team struggles, was first to react to a miscued Baník clearance on the edge of the box. A deft first touch set him up, and a low, driven shot eluded the outstretched arms of Kalinovo’s goalkeeper, nestling into the bottom corner. For a team that had scored just four goals in their previous five matches, the eruption of noise from the stands felt as much like relief as it did celebration.

Baník Kalinovo, in 8th position yet hobbling themselves after a promising start to the campaign, responded with urgency but not cohesion. The league’s most unpredictable outfit—victors in four but losers in as many—struggled to carve out quality chances before the break, their best effort thwarted by an acrobatic save from Kysucké Nové Mesto custodian Peter Filo.

The second half brought a familiar pattern: Baník pressing higher, Kysucké Nové Mesto defending with grit and looking for opportunities on the counter. The contest pivoted in the 63rd minute. A surging run down the right by Martin Šulek drew a desperate challenge from Baník’s center back, resulting in a free kick from a dangerous position. From the set piece, Ľubomír Janec rose highest, glancing a header in off the post to double the advantage.

It was a moment that all but sealed the outcome and showcased a resoluteness from the hosts rarely seen this fall. Where in weeks past they had wilted—surrendering leads at Dolný Kubín, collapsing in the second half at Námestovo—here they held firm, repelling Baník’s late rallies with measured discipline.

There would be no dramatic late twist. Kalinovo’s frustration boiled over in stoppage time, with midfielder Filip Valach shown a second yellow card for dissent, compounding a day to forget for the visitors.

Context: A Season Rewritten, Or Simply a Respite?

For Kysucké Nové Mesto, Saturday marked just their second victory in ten outings—a long-awaited tonic after a month marked by narrow defeats (1-2 at Fiľakovo, 0-3 at Námestovo) and the gnawing anxiety of being drawn into an early relegation fight. The three points, their first since late September, will be precious: the club remains in 12th but closes the gap to the crowded mid-table and, perhaps more critically, puts daylight between themselves and the league’s basement.

Baník Kalinovo, meanwhile, find themselves locked in a perplexing pattern. Eighth place with 13 points from 10 fixtures is more a reflection of inconsistency than promise: a September rout by Zlaté Moravce in the cup (0-7) still lingers in the memory, and only once in their last five league games have they managed a win. Today’s defeat once again exposed a lack of direction in the final third—a concern that, unaddressed, may derail their hopes of a stable upper-mid-table finish.

Looking Ahead: Stakes and Unfolding Drama

While recent head-to-head meetings between the clubs have tilted slightly in Kalinovo’s favor, this encounter belonged unequivocally to Kysucké Nové Mesto—a result built not on luck, but on the basic tenets of discipline and hunger. The hosts now look ahead to a run of fixtures that could define their season; a chance to string together results and finally climb out of the shadows of the lower table.

For Baník Kalinovo, the road ahead will test both nerves and resolve. With form faltering and an attack that has faded since the season’s opening weeks, manager Ján Šimko faces urgent questions: can he rekindle the spark that fueled their ascent in late summer, or will this be a campaign that drifts into quiet resignation?

For one October afternoon, at least, Kysucké Nové Mesto found their voice—reminding both themselves, and the league, that even in autumn, the promise of renewal still lingers in the Kysuce air.