FK DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda 0 v 0 MFK Ružomberok

Wednesday 24th March 2010
Slovakian (Corgon) Superliga
Mestský Stadion, Dunajska Streda
Admission: €4.00
Programme: N/A
Attendance: 1598
Match Rating: 2

After one of the best games from an all-round perspective I have witnessed in years the previous evening at Rapid Vienna, I headed back over the border into Slovakia and then quickly headed on the hour long train ride south-east from Bratislava to the small, unremarkable town of Dunajská Streda for another game in the Slovakian Superliga, and the ground is about a fifteen minute walk from the train station via the town centre. I was quite interested to visit this town and football club, as it has a strong Hungarian population, 80% are ethnic Hungarians, and so the club is a focal point for football supporters of Hungarian descent in western Slovakia.

With a return to Slovakia meant a return to very cheap ticket prices, and the Mestsky Stadion, whilst very much looking old fashioned with very few mod-cons or luxuries that English fans are used to these days, certainly has some unusual characteristics and plenty of character. The ground consists of two covered all-seater stands along either length of the pitch, but what was more unusual was six separate banks of terracing, three behind each goal, which were some of the steepest I have ever encountered and certainly wouldn't be recommended for anyone with a fear of heights. They do however offer excellent views of the pitch. A kick off time of 5.30pm for a midweek kick-off was a curious one and certainly doesn't allow much time at the end of the working day to get to the game. This midweek kick off time appears to be standard in Slovakia, however. No programmes were available for this game.

The game promised to be quite an even affair, with the home side struggling recently, having lost their previous four league games, one of those being a 0-7 hammering at Spartak Trnava, and have not won in the league since October (although it should be borne in mind that two and a half of months of that time consisted of the winter break). Indeed, only on entering the ground did I discover that many Dunajská Streda fans had decided to boycott this fixture in protest at their team's poor recent performances. Today's visitors, Ružomberok, were in relatively good form, having won their previous two games but were only in seventh place in the twelve team league. The only familiar face on either side was Dunajská Streda's Samuel Koejoe, who had a brief and not particularly successful spell at Queen's Park Rangers at the turn of the millennium.

What was to follow was a truly abysmal game of football. To be fair, Ružomberok played what football there was and fashioned some good chances to score, but it was clear to see why the home side are in such a poor run of form, with players showing poor touch, control and cohesion, and as the game wore on, resorted more and more to aimless long punts upfield. From early on, the crowd were on the backs of the home team, and into the second half, this turned into ridiculing, which seemed quite a bizarre way to "support" their team. I can understand (but not necessarily agree with) booing out of frustration with the efforts of players, but ridiculing them with heavily ironic cheering seems a bizarre way to inspire the players fans follow. So, a very disappointing final game of my tour of the Bratislava and Vienna areas, with an unpleasant atmosphere and a dull game lacking in any real quality.

Spartak Trnava 2 v 0 FK Dukla Banská Bystrica

Saturday 20th March 2010
Corgon Liga (Slovakian Superliga)
Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava
Admission: €4.00
Programme: 50 cents
Attendance: 4987
Match Rating: 3

Having arrived in Bratislava this morning, I soon made my way 30 miles northeastwards by train to the town of Trnava, for the first of my four planned football games during my trip to Slovakia and Austria. After spending a couple of hours touring the town, which was pleasant enough if nothing exceptional, I bought my ticket for a seat in the south stand for just 4 euros - such prices are common in Slovakia, which wouldn't even gain admission to a County League game in the UK! On entering the stadium, I also bought an attractive programme for just 50 cents, obviously I couldn't understand a word but was interesting to see the league stats and action shots of recent games.
 

The all-seater 18,000 capacity stadium has two large banks of uncovered seating behind both goals (one of the ends I sat in), and along one side was a newly built shallow covered stand, whilst on the opposite side there was a smaller stand which had a temporary look about it, with the rest of the side providing uncovered seating. You couldn't ask for a much more central location than this stadium, just a couple of minutes walk from the town centre, and a couple more to the train station. This central location also ensured a pleasant backdrop to the stadium looking from the South Stand, with Trnava's taller monuments in the background and the city wall which runs along the back of the North Stand.
 

Going into this game, the visitors would have appeared to have been the favourites to take the points, up in third place in the league and having lost only three of their 22 games played so far, and well on course to qualify for Europe next season. Trnava would surely be no pushovers though, who went into the game in sixth place and had won their previous game 7-0. The game itself was competitive enough, although seeming to lack real skill or incisive play for the most part. Trnava always looked to be the better team during the game, with Banská Bystrica only occasionally truly threatening the Trnava goal. Indeed, goalscoring opportunities were at a premium in the first half, apart from Trnava hitting the post, but the goalless scoreline at half time adequately reflected the game.

 
However, just a couple of minutes into the second half, a Trnava forward embarked on a mazy long run into the penalty area and was eventually brought down for a clear penalty, which was dispatched cooly by Peter Dolezaj sending the keeper the wrong way. This didn't seem to spark the visitors into life, as the home side continued to dominate, and they extended their lead with 13 minutes to go, when Koro Kone finished well when played in with a slide-rule pass. 2-0 was how it stayed, a thoroughly deserved victory for the home team which lifted them up a place into fifth in the league. Dukla Banská Bystrica remain comfortably in third place and still within close touch of the top two, but today, on the whole, they didn't look like a team flying high in the league.