FC Ajka and Budapesti VSC-Zugló could not be separated over 120 absorbing minutes in the Hungarian Cup (Magyar Kupa), playing out a 2-2 draw at the Ajkai Sportcentrum on 12 September 2026 — a tie that was ultimately decided from the penalty spot, with the hosts edging a nerve-shredding shootout 4-3 to keep their cup run alive.

It was a night that captured everything the Magyar Kupa does best: two well-matched sides, a lower-profile ground filled to the rafters, four goals, and a finish that left both sets of supporters drained. For Ajka, the result is a mix of frustration at conceding twice from winning positions and relief at surviving a genuine scare against opponents who refused to go away.

Match Overview

The contest followed a pattern that repeated itself almost to the minute. Ajka, playing in front of their own fans, started on the front foot and pressed high with their front three, forcing BVSC-Zugló into a series of hurried clearances inside the opening quarter of an hour. The reward arrived in the 18th minute when Bence Kovács latched onto a loose ball at the edge of the penalty area and drove a low, right-footed effort beyond the visiting goalkeeper.

The response from Budapesti VSC-Zugló was measured rather than frantic. The Budapest club, technically tidy in midfield and comfortable circulating the ball through the thirds, began to find space between Ajka's midfield and defensive lines. Their equaliser arrived eight minutes before the interval, Dávid Szabó converting at the back post after a well-worked move down the left.

• 18' — Bence Kovács opens the scoring for FC Ajka
• 37' — Dávid Szabó levels for Budapesti VSC-Zugló
• 63' — Márk Tóth restores Ajka's lead with a header from a corner
• 84' — Ádám Nagy makes it 2-2 with a composed finish
• Extra time — No further goals; Ajka win the shootout 4-3

Key Moments

The second half was where the tie really came alive. Ajka regained the initiative shortly after the hour mark, and when Márk Tóth rose highest to meet a whipped corner in the 63rd minute, the home crowd sensed the job was close to being done. Instead, the visitors produced their best passage of the match, pinning Ajka back and forcing a string of defensive blocks.

Their persistence paid off six minutes from the end of normal time. Ádám Nagy, who had been the outstanding creative presence for BVSC-Zugló all evening, found half a yard of space just inside the box and placed his finish calmly inside the far post to send the tie into extra time.

Neither side managed to break through in the additional 30 minutes, though both had chances: Ajka struck the woodwork with a free kick, while the visitors were denied by a superb double save late in the second period of extra time. That set up the shootout, where Ajka's goalkeeper became the hero, saving the fourth BVSC spot kick before his team-mate converted the decisive penalty.

Tactical Story

Ajka lined up in a compact 4-2-3-1 that looked to win the ball high and attack quickly through the channels, while Budapesti VSC-Zugló favoured a patient 4-3-3 built on midfield rotation and overlapping full-backs. The battle in central midfield was the defining tactical duel of the night: Ajka wanted the game vertical and physical, BVSC-Zugló wanted it horizontal and controlled.

The hosts' set-piece threat proved decisive in open play — both of their goals, in different ways, came from winning second balls around the opposition box — while the visitors' ability to sustain possession eventually told in the closing stages of normal time. It made for a genuinely even contest and explains why neither side could land a knockout blow.

Standout Performers

For FC Ajka, Bence Kovács was a constant menace across the front line and provided the moment of real quality that broke the deadlock, while Márk Tóth's aerial dominance in both boxes was the reason his side looked the more likely winners for long stretches. The home goalkeeper, whose late saves and shootout intervention ultimately settled the tie, deserves equal billing.

For Budapesti VSC-Zugló, Ádám Nagy was the game's most influential footballer — inventive between the lines, disciplined without the ball, and responsible for the goal that forced the extra period. Dávid Szabó's movement in the box caused Ajka problems all evening, and the centre-back pairing coped with a demanding physical test with real composure.

Match Facts

• Competition: Hungarian Cup (Magyar Kupa)
• Date: 12 September 2026
• Fixture: FC Ajka