Late Corner Kick Breaks Podbrezva Hearts in Banská Bystrica
FK Železiarne Podbrezová thought they had secured a valuable away point in the Niké liga, only to suffer heartbreak in the final minute of regulation time against MFK Dukla Banská Bystrica. Mikuláš Bakaľa struck in the 90th minute, rising to head home a corner kick from teammate Slebodník and seal a dramatic 1-0 victory for the home side. The result marks Banská Bystrica’s first home league win over their regional rivals in three and a half years, Sportnet reported.
Tactical Frustrations and Missed Chances Define the Derby
The regional derby, separating the two clubs by just 30 kilometers, played out before 1,582 spectators at the stadium in Banská Bystrica. Banská Bystrica manager Daniel Valach admitted his side struggled early on, lacking energy and failing to control possession during a scoreless first half. Podbrezová controlled much of the intermediate play during the opening 45 minutes, with Ján Chrien squandering two scoring opportunities against home goalkeeper Matúš Hroššo, while teammate Deml missed the target entirely from a promising position.
VAR Intervention and Late Drama Spark Celebration
After the interval, Banská Bystrica found more attacking rhythm, though both sides missed clear openings. Róbert Polievka, returning to action as Dukla’s captain following recovery, squandered a one-on-one chance against Podbrezová goalkeeper Domaniský, while teammate Ďuriš headed narrowly wide. Podbrezová thought they had broken the deadlock when Momoh found the back of the net, but the system VAR correctly ruled the effort out for offside. That reprieve paved the way for Bakaľa’s decisive header at the death.
Managerial Relief and Standings Impact
Reflecting on the tense finish, Banská Bystrica coach Daniel Valach pointed to the heavy scrutiny his squad faced following a difficult start to the campaign. Po štyroch kolách nás verejnosť lynčovala, zatracovala, ani ľudia okolo klubu, čo sa motajú, nám neverili,
Valach told Bystricoviny.sk, noting that the team sat under immense pressure from outside critics. With the narrow victory, the promoted club climbed to 13 points after 11 matches, sitting closely behind Podbrezová in the Niké liga table.
Match Details and Lineups
MFK Dukla Banská Bystrica lined up with Hroššo in goal, supported by a defensive and midfield unit featuring Šikula, Willwéber (replaced by Miranda in the 77th minute), Bakaľa, Maik, Považanec (replaced by Slebodník in the 70th), and Richtárech. The attacking positions featured Arevalo (replaced by Hanes in the 70th), Gjorgievski (replaced by V. Tóth in the 85th), Polievka (replaced by Vallo in the 85th), and Ďuriš.
FK Železiarne Podbrezová deployed Domaniský between the posts behind a defensive block of Kejval, Luka, and Lampreth. Kováčik, Štefánik (replaced by Silagadze in the 77th), Chyla (replaced by Tijani in the 89th), and Deml (56th-minute substitute Paraj) controlled the midfield, while Mrvaljevič (replaced by Chiminec at halftime), Chrien, and Miljanić (replaced by Momoh at halftime) led the attack. Referee Kišš administered yellow cards to Podbrezová players Mrvaljevič, Štefánik, and Kejval.
Related reading
