A sold out TM Benidorm is looking for a surprise in Hungary
JA Galvanized
Around the arena, energy surged from the moment the whistle blew. Ferencvaros exposed their seasoned pedigree early, pressing with physicality and controlling the pace from the opening minutes. They built small, steady advantages, often two goals ahead, testing TM Benidorm’s resolve and forcing the visitors to chase the scoreboard. The Hungarian side rode that early rhythm, leveraging their experience to set the tempo and keep Benidorm on the back foot for large stretches of the match.
From the outset, Ferencvaros demonstrated why they are feared on the court. Their precision in attack and the way they compacted space in defense created a demanding environment for Benidorm. The home side maintained a steady lead, but Benidorm’s veterans refused to surrender. They absorbed pressure, trusted their preparation, and found moments to disrupt the rhythm with timely stops and fast breaks when opportunities appeared. The scoreboard reflected a back-and-forth struggle, with Ferencvaros hovering around the two-goal margin for a good portion of the game.
Robust shotmaking and disciplined shot selection from the Ferencvaros attackers kept the numbers favorable for the hosts, while Benidorm leaned on their defensive organization to stay within striking distance. The crowd lived with every save and every expertly placed shot, aware that the game could tilt at any moment. The Benidorm bench watched closely as the defense, under Barceló, shifted its approach in the middle stages of the first half, attempting to blunt Ferencvaros’ ball movement and force mistakes on the counterattack.
TM Benidorm relied on the steady hands of their goalkeeper and a handful of key scorers to stay within reach. The visitors found a spark through Iván Rodríguez and Ramiro Martínez, whose efforts helped narrow the gap and keep the contest competitive as the clock ticked toward the final period. The Hungarian side, however, answered with a series of well-timed goals, stabilizing the lead and testing Benidorm’s nerve at critical moments.
The critical moment arrived late, when Ferencvaros still held a narrow advantage. A stoppage near the end of regulation gave Benidorm a brief window to set up a decisive plan. The tactical timeout taken by Latorre generated a precise sequence that his players executed to perfection. As the seconds wound down, Iván Rodríguez delivered a dramatic finish, slamming the tie into the home stretch and sending the Benidorm fans into a frenzy as the ball found the back of the net just as the clock expired. A stunned hush fell over the arena, quickly replaced by the roar of celebration as TM Benidorm secured their long-awaited first victory of the European campaign.
DATA SHEET:
FERENCVAROS TC (16+16): Borbely; Nagy, Lekay, Onodi, Debreczeni, Bujdosó, Mikita – starting seven; Bognar, Kovacsics, Fuzi, Imre, Pordan, Torok, Balogh, Csorgo, Gyori. Substitutes listed as available, with rotations changing the composition throughout the match.
TM BENIDORM (14+19): robert; Iker Serrano, Grau, Vainstein, Edu Calle, Nikcevic, Ramiro Martínez – starting seven; Lignieres, Barceló, Iván Rodríguez, Soljic, Sempere, Samu Ibáñez. Substitutes listed as available, with strategic on-court adjustments during the game.
Scoring progression: 3-3, 7-5, 10-7, 12-9, 14-12, 16-14, 19-16, 22-20, 26-23, 30-26, 31-29, and finally 32-33 in regulation time before Benidorm clinched the win in the final seconds.
Referees: Marko Boricic and Dejan Markovic from Serbia. They made a series of calls that shaped the late stages, including the temporary exclusions of Nagy, Fuzi, Debreczeni, and Pordan for Ferencvaros and Grau and Soljic for TM Benidorm.
The match coincided with the fourth day of the Europa League, drawing nearly a thousand spectators to Riz Levente Sport in Budapest, where the atmosphere mirrored the intensity of the scoreboard and the grit shown by both sides.