Ivan Galád’s team utilized the World Cup Qualification break for a preparatory game against Nitra. The confrontation with a team from the top league brought an interesting duel. Nitra was better in the first half, while Trenčín took initiative in the second.

FC Nitra – AS Trenčín 1-0 (1-0)

Goal: 39’ Racko

Bookings:

Yellow Cards: 33’ Lukšík, 62’ Baez, 63’ Škrovan

Nitra: Tujvel (46’ Hroššo) – Farkaš (46’ Harbulák), Svrček (46’ Struhár), Štajer, Ďatko (46’ Kostoláni) – Racko (46’ Bozsorád), Kopačka (46’ Škrovan), Gruber (46’ Broschinský), Kolár (46’ Jakubjak) – Barčík (46’ Chovanec), Liluashvili (46’ Polodna)

Trenčín: Volešák (46’ Rožník) – Kleščík, Križko, Peciar, Kasálek (46’ Szórád) – Bubenko (57’ Čögley), Hlohovský (61’ Šebek), Knapp (46’ Baez), Lukšík, Godál (46’ Depetris) – Chanti (75’ Taglioretti)

Roman Gergel could not play due to his duties in the U21 national team. On the other hand, Kleščík and Kasálek returned to the starting line-up after their long-term injuries. Marek Bubenko was sent in as well. He was originally banned for five games, but the disciplinary committee changed the last two games of his penalty into a conditional suspension. That means that he is going to be available for the game against Košice next week. Juraj Križko played unusually in the sweeper’s post and his performance was very solid.

The home team was better in the first half. On 5 minutes already, Racko muddled through individually, but careful Volešák pushed his shot from a good position out to a corner kick. A similar situation happened 15 minutes afterwards. Racko’s ground shot from the border of the penalty area found Volešák ready again. Third confrontation of both men came on 39 minutes. Racko was finally successful and Nitra took the lead – 1-0.

There were massive changes in the line-ups after the break. The new players on the side of AS were Rožník, Baez, Szórád, and Depetris. Šebek, Čögley, and the Argentinean midfield Taglioretti came in later in the second half. Depeptris’s header after Hlohovský’s standard situation on 50 minutes went over the goal. In 10 minutes, Kleščík found Depetris again, but his attempt was blocked by Kostoláni. On 69 minutes, Chanti centered into the penalty area and Čögley had the biggest chance of AS in the game, but his header went wide. Neither Depetris’s effort to score was successful as his shot on 85 minutes after an excellent indivdual action was reflexively saved by Hroššo.

The second half’s line-up of AS was much more active than the one in the first half. Especially Baez and Čögley played very well. Taglioretti showed that he might become a succor in the near future. Lukšík and Križko deserve appreciation for their activity in the entire game.