Ferencváros vs Noé: Resumen

In a thrilling UEFA Champions League second qualifying round encounter, Ferencvárosi TC secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory over FC Noah Artsakh at the electric Groupama Arena in Budapest. The Hungarian champions demonstrated exceptional resilience to overcome their Armenian opponents in what turned out to be a seven-goal spectacle that kept fans on the edge of their seats throughout the ninety minutes.

The match exploded into life immediately with Aleksandar Pešić giving the hosts the lead in the very first minute, only for Noah's Hélder Ferreira to equalize six minutes later. The frantic opening continued when Lenny Joseph restored Ferencváros's advantage in the 12th minute before Matheus Aiás leveled again for the visitors, making it 2-2 by the 22nd minute in an extraordinary first half display.

After the break, Kristoffer Zachariassen converted a penalty in the 52nd minute to give Ferencváros the lead once more. Though Alen Grgić equalized for Noah with twenty minutes remaining, Barnabás Varga's 74th minute strike proved decisive for the Hungarian side. With this result, Ferencvárosi TC progressed to the third qualifying round with a 6-4 aggregate victory, having previously won 2-1 in Yerevan.

The atmosphere at Groupama Arena was electric as over 18,000 passionate supporters created a cauldron of noise that spurred on the home side. This victory significantly strengthens Ferencváros's European campaign as they continue their quest to reach the group stages of Europe's premier club competition for the third time in recent years. Meanwhile, FC Noah will drop to the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds, where they'll aim to secure European football for their supporters.

"What a rollercoaster of emotions tonight! I'm incredibly proud of my players for showing such character after being pegged back multiple times. Our attacking intent was clear from the first minute, and though we had some defensive lapses, we demonstrated the winning mentality that defines this club," said Robbie Keane, Ferencvárosi TC's coach after the match.

"We knew before the match that set pieces would be crucial, and our work on them paid off. Barnabás came on and made the difference when we needed him most. Now we focus on the next round where we'll need to improve defensively," Keane added.

"We showed tremendous courage coming to Budapest and scoring three goals against a strong Ferencváros side. Unfortunately, small margins decided the outcome today," reflected Sandro Perković, FC Noah's head coach. "I cannot fault my players for their effort, but we need to learn from these experiences at the European level."

"The atmosphere was incredible tonight. When I scored that early goal, I felt the energy from our supporters carry us forward," said Aleksandar Pešić. "This is what Champions League nights are all about, and we're hungry for more."

"We're disappointed with the result but proud of our performance," stated Alen Grgić from FC Noah. "Scoring three away goals against such a strong opponent shows we belong at this level. We'll take this experience into our Europa League campaign."

"Ferencváros showed their European experience tonight," commented football analyst Gábor Kovács. "Their ability to respond to setbacks and find different ways to score will serve them well in the next round, though those defensive vulnerabilities must be addressed if they hope to reach the group stage."

Possession: Ferencvárosi TC dominated the ball with 59% possession compared to FC Noah's 41%, reflecting the home side's control of the tempo for large portions of the game.

Shots: The Hungarian champions registered 18 shots with 9 on target, while the visitors managed 11 shots with 5 finding the target – an impressive conversion rate that kept them in the contest.

Corners: Ferencvárosi won 7 corner kicks to Noah's 3, underlining their territorial advantage throughout the encounter.

Cards: The competitive nature of the match was evident with 5 yellow cards shown – 2 for Ferencvárosi (Raemaekers, Szalai) and 3 for Noah (Manvelyan, Eteki, Silva).

Individual Performances:

• Goalkeeper Dénes Dibusz made two crucial saves for Ferencvárosi, including a spectacular stop in the 80th minute that preserved their lead.
• Aleksandar Pešić was the standout performer with a goal, an assist, and 5 shots on target.
• Lenny Joseph covered an impressive 11.2km for Ferencvárosi, the highest of any player on the pitch.
• Matheus Aiás proved dangerous for Noah with 3 shots on target and a well-taken goal.

Expected Goals (xG):

• Ferencvárosi TC: 2.8
• FC Noah: 1.6

The statistics reveal that while Ferencvárosi created more clear-cut chances, Noah's clinical finishing kept them competitive throughout this high-scoring UEFA Champions League qualifier.

1' [GOAL - Ferencvárosi TC] The home side struck with their first attack as Aleksandar Pešić capitalized on a defensive error to slot past Muradyan, sending the Groupama Arena into early celebrations.

7' [GOAL - FC Noah] The visitors responded quickly when Hélder Ferreira finished a well-worked team move, silencing the home crowd with a composed finish into the bottom corner.

12' [GOAL - Ferencvárosi TC] Lenny Joseph restored the hosts' advantage with a powerful header from Callum O'Dowda's precise cross from the left wing.

22' [GOAL - FC Noah] The end-to-end action continued as Matheus Aiás equalized for Noah, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to fire past Dibusz from close range.

45' [HALF-TIME] The teams headed to the dressing rooms level at 2-2 after an exhilarating first half.

50' [PENALTY - Ferencvárosi TC] Referee awarded a penalty to the hosts after Jonathan Levi was brought down in the box by Gonçalo Silva.

52' [GOAL - Ferencvárosi TC] Kristoffer Zachariassen converted the spot-kick with confidence, sending Muradyan the wrong way to make it 3-2.

65' [SUBSTITUTION - Ferencvárosi TC] Tactical change by Keane as Barnabás Varga replaced Jonathan Levi, with Ferencváros switching to a more defensive 4-5-1 formation.

70' [GOAL - FC Noah] Against the run of play, Alen Grgić found space at the far post from a corner to volley home the equalizer, stunning the home supporters.

74' [GOAL - Ferencvárosi TC] Substitute Barnabás Varga made an immediate impact, heading home from Ötvös's cross to put the hosts ahead once more at 4-3.

90+4' [FULL-TIME] The referee's whistle confirmed Ferencvárosi's progress to the next qualifying round with a 6-4 aggregate victory after this pulsating encounter.

This UEFA Champions League qualifying tie marked the first-ever competitive meetings between Ferencvárosi TC and FC Noah Artsakh. With Ferencváros winning both legs (2-1 away and 4-3 at home), they've established a perfect record in this nascent rivalry.

The aggregate score of 6-4 across the two legs illustrates the attacking intent from both sides, with Noah impressively scoring four goals against the more established European competitors. This suggests potential for exciting encounters should these teams meet again in future continental competitions.

In terms of individual battles, the duel between Ferencváros's center-back Stefan Gartenmann and Noah's striker Matheus Aiás proved particularly fascinating across both legs. While Aiás managed to score in Budapest, Gartenmann won 7 of their 11 direct duels, showcasing his defensive prowess despite the goal conceded.

In midfield, Bence Ötvös dominated against Yan Eteki in both possession and duels, completing 91% of his passes in the home leg compared to Eteki's 76%, though the Noah midfielder did make more successful tackles (5 vs 3).

With Hungarian clubs historically holding the upper hand against Armenian opposition in European competitions (winning 8 of the previous 11 encounters across all competitions), this result continues that trend. However, the competitive nature of both matches suggests the gap is narrowing as Armenian club football continues to develop.

Perhaps most notably, this tie featured tactical flexibility from both coaches. Keane's Ferencváros shifted between 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations across the two legs, while Perković's Noah adjusted from a 5-3-2 in the first leg to a more adventurous 4-3-3 in Budapest, demonstrating their tactical adaptability on the European stage.