Ferencváros stuns Vojvodina with away victory in Europa League

The Szerencsés Zöld stadium in Novi Sad provided a feisty atmosphere as FK Vojvodina hosted Hungarian side Ferencváros in the first qualifying round of the Europa League. The hosts came into the tie seeking to make early progress in European competition, while the visitors arrived with ambitions of their own on the road.

Ferencváros made the brighter start and took the lead through K. Zachariassen in the eighth minute, catching Vojvodina's defence cold with a well-taken goal. The early setback seemed to shake the Serbian outfit, but they drew level in dramatic fashion just before the interval. M. Gómez turned the ball into his own net in the 45th minute, leaving the teams level at 1-1 heading into the break and setting up a tense second half.

The second period saw Vojvodina push for a winner, spurred on by their passionate home support, but Ferencváros proved stubborn in defence. N. Petrović picked up a yellow card for the hosts in the 60th minute as tensions began to rise. Ferencváros broke clear and regained their advantage to make it 2-1, eventually holding firm despite Vojvodina's desperate attempts to find an equaliser. Y. Bamidele was cautioned late on as the visitors saw out the closing stages.

The 1-2 victory sends Ferencváros into the next qualifying round and represents a significant away scalp for the Hungarian club. Vojvodina, despite their efforts at home, fell just short and now face a difficult task if they are to progress in this competition. For Ferencváros, this was a statement of intent that they belong among Europe's elite in this competition.