Hummene secured a narrow 1:0 victory over Liptovsky Mikulas in the Second League's regular season fifth round on Saturday evening. The result lifted the hosts from the bottom half of the table, while the visitors saw their unbeaten run come to an end. O. Vyshnevskyi's second-half strike proved decisive in a match that saw both sides reduced to ten men.
The goal arrived in the 39th minute when Vyshnevskyi found the net, putting Humenne ahead before the interval. To be fair, it was the only shot on target that mattered in the first half, despite Liptovsky Mikulas controlling possession. The visitors had already seen M. Zlacky booked in the 11th minute, and the pressure was mounting.
By then, the complexion of the game had shifted dramatically. M. Zlacky picked up a second yellow and a red card in the 48th minute, leaving Liptovsky Mikulas with ten men. And here's the thing — E. Okonji followed suit in the 88th minute, also receiving a straight red after his booking. Two dismissals for the visitors, both in the second half, changed everything.
The statistics tell a different story, though. Liptovsky Mikulas registered 16 shots to Humenne's seven, with 9 on target compared to 3. They held 56 per cent possession and won 14 corners to 6. Humenne, meanwhile, had just 73 attacks against 76 for the visitors. Yet one goal was all that separated them, and the away side couldn't find an equaliser despite their dominance.
The result moves Humenne to 12th place with six points from six games, while Liptovsky Mikulas remain eighth on eight points. The hosts ended a barren spell with this win, having lost four of their previous five fixtures. Cup football has its own rules, but this was league football — and one goal was enough.
