Europa League: Fradi and Vidi safely through but Vasas crash out

Hungary still has two representatives in the Europa League after the first qualifying round reached its conclusion, Ferencváros and Videoton progressing this week but Vasas falling to defeat against Beitar Jerusalem, mlsz.hu said.

The first chance of an open start to Vasas’ second-leg fixture against their Israeli opponents – held at Újpest due to the complete rebuild of their traditional home at Fáy utca – came as early as the third minute when Vasas captain Mohamed Remili hit the near left post with a 20m curling free-kick with his right foot.

Just five minutes later the game exploded into life when Antoine Conte’s long-distance shot was beaten out by Vasas goalkeeper Gergely Nagy, only for Szilveszter Hangya to dive in on Idan Vered and concede a penalty.

That wasn’t the end to that moment of drama though as Nagy plunged to his left to turn the spotkick around the post for a corner, but while a jubilant Vasas were still celebrating their escape, Eley Shechter had controlled a short corner and cut into the penalty area from where he rifled the ball low inside Nagy’s near left post to give his side a 1-0 lead on the night.

Neither defence had been impressive so far and so it continued as Vered sneaked in behind the home defence down the right channel and crossed for Shechter, but Nagy came out quickly to smother the striker’s low shot on the turn. Nagy again kept his team in the tie when he superbly turn away Shechter’s effort after he’d been found all alone ten metres from goal by Conte on the right wing.

Vasas did occasionally threaten too though, for example, when youngster Márk Kleisz tried his luck from 25 metres out midway through the first half, only to see his low drive deflected centimetres wide of the left post.

Vered and Kulcsár both had early sights of goal in the second half but sent their shots over and wide respectively. As the game headed towards the hour mark it was becoming increasingly urgent for Vasas to score one of the two goals they currently needed to qualify on away goals, but instead Beitar increased their lead, Hen Ezra cutting in from the left side of the penalty area after good work from Vered and sliding his right-footed cross into the far-right corner of Nagy’s net.