Our U17 Elite League team earned a valuable 1–1 draw away against Universitatea Cluj, closing the regular season with an important point. After the match, head coach Mitra Szilárd shared his assessment.

Our U17 Elite League team earned a valuable 1–1 draw away against Universitatea Cluj, closing the regular season with an important point. After the match, head coach Mitra Szilárd shared his assessment.

The coach explained that Cluj’s playing style was thoroughly analysed, with special attention given to stopping their wing attacks and neutralising their strong and fast striker. – “We knew that Cluj like to build through the flanks and that they have a powerful, quick forward we needed to be ready for. For the most part, we managed to close down those areas effectively,” said Mitra Szilárd.

He added that they faced a solid, pragmatic side that sits at the top of the table for a reason. – “They are very dangerous with long balls and set pieces. We, on the other hand, tried to play on the ground and build up from the back. In my opinion, we were the team that wanted to play more football. In the first half, we had two or three promising chances that we could have taken better advantage of,” the coach explained.

During halftime, he reminded his players about the importance of set pieces, yet the hosts took the lead from a corner. – “We switched off for that moment, but I was pleased with the way the team reacted — shortly after, Bota equalised. In the final minutes, we even had two great chances that could have won us the game,” said Mitra Szilárd.

In conclusion, he emphasised that the draw was a valuable point and a good foundation for what’s ahead. – “We came here aiming to win, but if not, at least to secure a point. We finished the regular season eight points behind them, but since points are halved for the play-offs, we’ll be only four behind — that’s a good position to start from,” the head coach concluded.

László Orbán
Photo: Zoltán Pál