Szolnoki Dózsa-Közgép win the final of the BENU Hungarian Cup
Szolnoki Dózsa-Közgép recorded their fifth cup win by defeating ZF-Eger 10-4 in the final of the BENU Hungarian Cup. Sándor Cseh believes his side played sensationally, and said he was immensely proud of his team’s achievement. BENU Hungarian Cup final post-match reaction.
”I of course keep track of our cup victories, albeit there isn’t so many to make it that difficult a task. We were unsuccessful last year, and it still rankles somewhat” said Szolnok’s Olympic champion centre Gábor Kis following the convincing cup final victory.
Head coach Sándor Cseh was understandably happy with the performances of his centre pairing of Gábor Kis and Tamás Mezei. “We played a sensational match, first and foremost our defence was fantastic and we also attacked well for long periods. We slowed the tempo on purpose in the final quarter and yet we still scored ten. There are days when everything comes off; it’s a fantastic feeling to win a final and I’m very proud of my team. This is my fifth final and the fourth one I’ve won, it feels like being a kid in a candy shop. I look forward to every match, but especially cup finals. I couldn’t be happier!”
Andrija Prlainović chalked up his first success with the club, chipping in with one goal and watching on as his compatriot Milan Aleksić scored three. “I believe Szolnok is the best team in Hungary and we’ve proved that today. Perhaps there isn’t really a six goal difference between the two teams; indeed, there certainly isn’t, but we won by that margin today, and that was a fair reflection of the play” said the Serbian defender.
The Szolnok celebrations were still going strong by the time runners-up Eger left the pool for their changing room. The injury-hit cup-holders had given their all but come up short against a simply superb Szolnok.
”I hope I’ll be better this evening and that my high temperature doesn’t get worse like it did on Saturday when I came down with fever following the semi-final” said Eger captain Branislav Mitrović. “However, if I focus on this or talk more of it, it will look like an excuse, and I really don’t want it to come across that way. I gave my all”.
Eger coach Norbert Dabrowski had spoken on Saturday about wanting to win the final for Dániel Angyal, who was injured on Thursday but it wasn’t to be, injuries and two matches in two days exhausting the team and leaving them with too little in the tank to contain Szolnok.
“Szolnok were quicker in every department; they were fresher than us” said Norbert Dabrowski. “We held firm as long as we could. We attacked and tried to get to within a goal but didn’t succeed; that was our last hope we could grasp on to. The truth is that if we’d carried on playing until Monday morning, we still wouldn’t have won”.
BENU Hungarian Cup final:
ZF-Eger 4–10 Szolnoki Dózsa-Közgép (0–1, 3–4, 1–2, 0–3)
Tüskeuszoda, match officials: T. Molnár, P. Molnár.
Eger: B. Mitrović – Decker Á., Hosnyánszky 1, Lőrincz 1, Miloš Ćuk, Erdélyi 1, Hárai. Replacements: Kürti, Čučković, Kovács Gergő, Vapenski 1, Bedő Biros B. Head coach: Norbert Dabrowski
Szolnok: Nagy V. – Gocić 1, Vámos 2, Mezei, Prlainović 1, Varga Dénes 1, Jansik D. Replacements: Szatmári, Hangay Z., Aleksić 3, Younger 2, Kis G. Fülöp, Kardos G. (goalkeeper). Head coach: Sándor Cseh
Photo: MTI
Source: waterpolo.hu