Tiszakecske FC vs Ajka Match Recap - Oct 19, 2025

Late Drama Rescues Tiszakecske FC and Reshapes the NB II Table in a Tumultuous Finish Over Ajka

On a crisp October afternoon at Városi Stadion, the faint autumn sun did little to warm the nerves of Tiszakecske FC supporters who have grown familiar with tension but rarely with triumph this season. Ninety minutes produced a night’s worth of drama, as Tiszakecske FC, perched dangerously close to the bottom of NB II, claimed a crucial 2-1 victory over a faltering Ajka side, the winning goal arriving with the final breath of regulation time. For a club that had seemingly mastered the art of the near-miss in recent weeks, this late euphoria may mark a pivotal turn.

It was a match loaded with subplots—the hosts, having won just twice in their opening nine, desperate for a lifeline; the visitors, Ajka, already feeling the weight of recent slip-ups, eager to stay tethered to the league’s upper half. Precise, the stakes were not just about three points, but about momentum, belief, and perhaps even survival instincts setting in before the season reaches its midpoint.

The first half unfolded with measured intensity, both sides wary of defensive lapses that have plagued their autumn campaigns. Tiszakecske, still bearing the scars of a 0-5 drubbing by Fehérvár FC less than a month ago, showed a renewed tactical discipline, compact in midfield and patient in possession. Ajka, for their part, offered flashes of enterprise on the break but looked a side in transition, struggling to find a cutting edge in the final third.

It was not until the hour mark that the equilibrium was shattered. Tiszakecske, buoyed by the home support that had grown restive with each passing goalless minute, found their breakthrough in the 60th minute. The scorer’s name will be etched into the fabric of this campaign, but the move that led to the goal was a study in collective perseverance—a sweeping move down the left, a teasing cross into a crowded box, and a predator’s finish that sent the stands into raptures. For Tiszakecske, who have often been forced to draw on reserves of resilience this autumn, the moment was a rare reward for enterprise.

The lead, however, did little to settle nerves. The ghosts of squandered advantages—just last month, a late collapse at Budafoki LC led to a 1-2 defeat—were clearly haunting the hosts. Ajka, sensing vulnerability, threw on fresh legs and shifted into a higher press, their urgency matching the increasing tension in the stands. The breakthrough for Ajka came in the 86th minute, a moment that appeared to confirm Tiszakecske’s worst fears. The visitors capitalized on a momentary lapse—a corner fizzed to the near post, a flicked header, and then pandemonium as the equalizer rippled the net.

With the score level and the clock ticking toward stoppage time, a familiar script seemed poised to repeat: Tiszakecske showing spirit, only to be undone at the end. Yet football, ever fickle, had one final twist reserved. As the match entered its dying seconds, Tiszakecske mounted one last charge—a surging run down the right, a low ball fired across the face of goal, and a decisive finish that sent the Városi Stadion faithful into delirium. The 90th-minute winner was more than a goal—it was a release, a catharsis for weeks of frustration, and a result that could alter the trajectory of their campaign.

For Ajka, the defeat will sting. It marks their third loss in five, a worrying slide for a club that began the day in ninth and now sees the bottom half of the table looming larger. Their recent form—a solitary win at Békéscsaba offset by a pair of narrow home losses—reflects a team in need of recalibration, their early autumn promise threatened by mounting inconsistency.

Tiszakecske, meanwhile, lift themselves to 12 points, leapfrogging Ajka and clawing their way to a more comfortable midfield presence in NB II. After a stretch where just two wins and three draws were offset by four defeats, the taste of victory is both rare and vital. The late heroics may not erase the memory of recent disappointments—a heavy loss at Fehérvár still lingers—but it undeniably infuses belief into a club searching for stability amid the campaign’s turbulence. For the supporters, the hope will be that this is not just a moment of relief, but the start of a surge.

There was little in this contest to suggest that either side will challenge for the league’s summit this spring, but nightfall in Tiszakecske brought renewed relevance to the fight for league positions just outside the drop zone. Head-to-head records between these sides have rarely produced such high drama, and rarely carried such stakes.

As the sun set over Városi Stadion, both teams faced the reality that their seasons hang in a delicate balance. For Tiszakecske, Sunday’s victory is an invitation to dream of safer ground and perhaps more. For Ajka, the road ahead promises only greater scrutiny, and the pressure to rediscover form before their autumn ambitions slip away for good. With a long season still to run, today’s late heroics may yet come to symbolize a turning point—should Tiszakecske build upon the breathless promise of this dramatic afternoon.