Košice delivered a masterclass on Wednesday, dismantling Garichovce 7-0 in the Round of 64 of the Cup. The hosts never recovered from an early onslaught, and the result leaves little doubt about the gulf between the two sides. By then, the tie was effectively over before anyone could blink.
Garichovce arrived with mixed recent form, having drawn 1-1 with Granovnica and suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Stará Ľubovňa. Košice came in with even more questions, having lost 2-1 to Slovan Bratislava while also finding the net five times against Raslavice. To be fair, neither side looked invincible coming into this fixture.
What happened instead was something else entirely. Košice took control and never let go, turning a cup tie into a demonstration of superiority. The old head settled them down, and they worked with a purpose that Garichovce simply couldn't match.
For the hosts, this is a brutal exit. They had shown glimpses of resilience in their 1-0 win over Rudnany, but against Košice's attack, they were left flat-footed all evening. The result means they're out of the competition, and the dressing room will be quiet for a while.
Košice's run continues, and they've extended their unbeaten run to eight games across all competitions with this result. The table goes out of the window in these games, but winning 7-0 sends a message. They can spring a surprise, and tonight proved they mean business.