Ferencvarosi thrash Valk Tartu

22 Oct 2021 | Davide Tuniz

In the opening game of Continental Cup Group C, host earns first points dominating the second and third period, despite a bad injury suffered by sniper Rasmus Kulmala

Host Ferencvarosi and Estonian champion Valk Tartu, winner of first round Vilnius group, open the second round of Continental Cup in Budapest in the small but beautiful Tuskecsarnok Arena with less crowd then expected. Estonian, even if coming from a less competitive league, are a tough opponent, with several Russian players in the roster and the Latvian Kriss Lipsbergs as the most skilful player, and suddenly demonstrate all the talent, scoring a beautiful goal in power play at 07:17 with Olexi Voitsekhivsky finalizing a clever assist from Ivan Akimov

After the goal, Ferencvarosi has a strong reaction, taking control of the game, threating goalie Andrei Bunin with shots from the distance and a couple of dangerous rebounds. Valk tries to use the counterattack, as at minute 12 when Nikita Garanin wastes a chance missing the net. In the second part of the period the stamina of host team decreases and Valk creates the best chances, showing a very aggressive power play.

In the central period Valk fail a clear chance with Gusynin, and Ferencvaros overturn the score in 2 minutes: Joshua McFadden ties the game at 22:33 and sniper Rasmus Kulmala beats again Bunin with a precise shot under the bar at 23:38. Host team survives to a power play and again scores twice in less than a minute: with Attila Pavuk at 27:46 and Lauri Karmeniemi at 28:10. Valk coach Aleksei Bogdanov immediately calls a time out but again Ferencvaros has a great chance with Kulmala, stopped by Bunin. Game is now completely different, with Ferencvaros totally dominates: the fifth goal come at minute 31 with captain Gergo Nagy. With 2 minutes to play Addam Hegyi hits the post from the left corner.

The host seal the coffin of Valk after 14 seconds in the last period, scoring the sixth goal with Adrian Toth. After one minute the game stops for about 5 minutes after Ivan Troshkov tough checking from behind on Rasmus Kulmala who needs to be removed on a stretcher, remaining conscious all the time.

Ferencvaros survives a five-vs-three situation, before to score twice with Adam Hegyi and Gergo Toth, in front of an opponent that gave up. Coach Bogdanov changes a groggy Bunin with Juri Bahturin, immediately called to a couple of difficult saves. Host finish the game attacking, thus legitimizing a total superiority in the last two periods