Mezőkövesd Zsóry Edge Budafoki LC, Consolidate Third Place as Promotion Race Intensifies

On a brisk evening in Mezőkövesd, where hope and anxiety converged beneath the floodlights of Városi Stadion, Mezőkövesd Zsóry did just enough to outlast Budafoki LC, a 1-0 victory that offered clarity of intent for the hosts while deepening questions for their guests. In a match defined by fine margins and high stakes, a solitary second-half strike proved the difference—and with it, Mezőkövesd’s ambitions for a top-two finish grew a shade brighter.

For all the pre-match speculation about attacking intent, the first forty-five minutes unfolded with a measured tempo, each side probing for weaknesses but rarely extending themselves. Mezőkövesd, boasting the division’s third-best record coming into the night, looked every bit the methodical side whose form has carried them up the NB II ranks. Budafoki, beset by early season inconsistency, were content to absorb pressure, hoping to strike on the counter. Yet neither side could find the precision required to break the deadlock before halftime.

But just five minutes after the interval, the home crowd found release. Mezőkövesd’s persistent pressure finally bore fruit in the 50th minute, when a quick transition caught Budafoki’s back line scrambling. The scorer’s identity may have been lost to broadcast confusion, but the moment was unmistakable: a tidy finish, low and unerring, tucked inside the near post—one of the few clear-cut chances in a contest largely dictated by midfield duels. The eruption from the stands was as much relief as it was jubilation; Mezőkövesd rarely needed a second invitation once in front this season.

For Budafoki, the deficit forced a shift in approach. The urgency was evident as they moved bodies forward, but the lack of consistent quality in the final third, a familiar refrain all campaign, again stymied their efforts. As the hour mark passed, frustrations bubbled to the surface. Then, in the 72nd minute, any prospect of a comeback slipped decisively away when a Budafoki player received a straight red card for a reckless challenge—a moment emblematic of a fraught season that has too often seen discipline and composure desert them at critical junctures.

With a man advantage, Mezőkövesd managed the closing stages with the assurance of a side that knows precisely what is at stake. They kept the ball moving, stretched play, and erased any lingering danger with calm authority, turning the remainder into something of a procession. Budafoki, even as they pressed in vain, could muster little more than half-chances and hopeful balls into the box.

If tonight’s result underscored Mezőkövesd’s burgeoning self-belief, it also reflected a growing separation in the NB II’s mid-autumn table. The win lifts them to 17 points after nine matches—five wins, two draws, and just two defeats—a record that keeps them firmly entrenched in third place, within striking distance of the automatic promotion places. Recent form has been steady rather than spectacular: a gritty 1-1 draw at Fehérvár, workmanlike single-goal wins over BVSC and Szeged 2011, and only one loss in their last five. This latest result, backed by another clean sheet, underscores the defensive structure that manager and fans alike have come to trust.

Budafoki, conversely, remain rooted in 13th with nine points, their struggles for consistency more pronounced by the day. A spirited draw against Kozármisleny and a cup win at Eger hinted at resilience, but the lack of attacking incision and today’s costly dismissal leave them precariously placed, just above the relegation swirl. Their record of 2-3-4 from nine reflects a season spent searching for a reliable formula at both ends of the pitch.

Though history between these clubs has rarely been settled easily—last season’s encounters featuring a wild 3-1 Budafoki win and a 5-0 drubbing by Budafoki on Mezőkövesd soil lingering in memory—tonight’s affair was all about control, and Mezőkövesd seized it when it mattered most.

As the campaign approaches its midway point, the implications are stark. Mezőkövesd, with momentum and cohesion, now look upward, eyeing promotion and the opportunities it brings. For Budafoki, introspection is required—and fast. The margin for error shrinks with each passing week, and unless performances begin to match their ambition, a season of struggle threatens to become a fight for survival.

Tonight, under the chill of early autumn, the story belonged to Mezőkövesd Zsóry: efficient, disciplined, and, at least for now, unyielding in their pursuit of the summit. Budafoki LC, meanwhile, depart Városi Stadion shadowed by regret—and the pressing need for answers before the season drifts beyond recall.