Podbrezová secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Ružomberok in the Superliga's third round on Saturday afternoon. The visitors took control of proceedings after an early setback, with three unanswered goals turning a tight contest into a comfortable away win. Ružomberok started brighter but could not hold their advantage once the game settled into its rhythm.
V. Hranos gave the hosts hope in the ninth minute, but Podbrezová responded through R. Siler's 40th-minute strike. P. Kovacik added a second before the hour mark to put the visitors in the driving seat, and by then Ružomberok's fortunes were already shifting. The turning point came at the hour-and-nine-minute mark when Hranos was shown a second yellow card and sent off, leaving the hosts to play most of the remainder with ten men.
B. Mrvaljevic completed the scoring in stoppage time, a late flourish that reflected the gap in momentum. Podbrezová had been patient in build-up, and their control was evident in the way they stretched the back line even after reducing the opposition. Ružomberok picked up two bookings in five minutes before the red card, a sequence that proved costly.
The statistics tell a story of dominance without necessarily reflecting the early tension. Podbrezová enjoyed 61 per cent possession and created four big chances compared to one for the hosts. Their shot accuracy of 40 per cent meant they converted opportunities efficiently, while Ružomberok's 20 per cent accuracy left them with little to show for their efforts on goal.
The result moves Podrezová to sixth place on ten points from seven games, while Ružomberok remain rooted at the bottom with just two points and no victories. The visitors' recent form had been mixed, but this performance suggested a team finding its footing. Ružomberok's winless run continues, and the table goes out of the window in these games — for now, they simply need to regroup.