Our women’s team played a closely contested home match against Icelandic record champions Breiðablik. Kollár Péter’s side kept the visitors scoreless throughout the first half, and after the break Breiðablik managed to find the net only once.
Our women’s team played a closely contested home match against Icelandic record champions Breiðablik. Kollár Péter’s side kept the visitors scoreless throughout the first half, and after the break Breiðablik managed to find the net only once.
The Miercurea Ciuc Municipal Stadium hosted a historic match for our club on Wednesday evening, as our senior women’s team played in front of its home supporters in an international club competition for the first time. Following the heavy defeat in the first leg in Iceland, our main aim this time was to show that we had learned from that match and were capable of producing a much tighter contest against the twenty-time Icelandic champions.
We started accordingly, with plenty of courage. Nombot Anabelle and Jehona Shala both had opportunities as early as the opening minute, and we did not spend prolonged periods pinned back inside our own half afterwards either. Breiðablik gradually took the initiative, but our defending was far more organised than it had been a week earlier.
In the 16th minute, Sigurðardóttir Sunna Rún tried a low effort from close range, but Böröcz Bettina produced an excellent save. Ten minutes later, another major intervention was required, as our goalkeeper tipped Ágústsdóttir Thórdís Elva’s powerful long-range strike away from under the crossbar. In the 32nd minute, another effort from Ágústsdóttir flashed across the face of goal, before a well-constructed Icelandic move late in the half ended with Halldórsdóttir Hrafnhildur Ása getting into a shooting position, but Böröcz once again proved to be a reliable presence in goal.
We therefore reached half-time with the score still goalless, which in itself showed how much more balanced this contest with the Icelandic record champions was compared with the first leg.
Breiðablik remained the more dangerous side after the break, and in the 55th minute they finally broke our resistance. Following a situation in front of goal, Katelyn Duong found herself in a shooting position and placed a low effort into the net from close range – 0–1.
Our team did not lose its shape after conceding. Kollár Péter made several changes to bring fresh energy into the side, and we began to attack with increasing confidence. Around the 61st and 63rd minutes, Balázs Csilla and Ezer Anna both tried their luck from distance, showing that we had not given up on finding an equaliser.
Our biggest chance came in the 75th minute. Ezer Anna curled a dangerous free kick towards goal, but the visiting goalkeeper produced an excellent save to keep the ball out of the top-right corner.
We committed plenty of energy to finding an equaliser during the final quarter of an hour. We reached the Icelandic half more and more often, but Breiðablik used their experience to manage the closing stages of the match, meaning we ultimately had to settle for a narrow defeat.
Breiðablik completed the second leg in Miercurea Ciuc with a one-goal victory and progressed 9–1 on aggregate, but the difference between the two matches was clear to see. Our team defended far more coherently this time, showed much more courage on the ball and committed significant numbers forward in search of an equaliser late on.
Head coach Kollár Péter also highlighted this after the final whistle, saying the narrow scoreline accurately reflected the girls’ performance.
– Naturally, the scoreline once again favoured the visiting team. They had chances, but we could have scored as well. The fact that this match finished 1–0 fully reflects the girls’ performance – said our head coach, who particularly praised the quality and atmosphere of the occasion. – I have had the opportunity to be involved in very few matches like this. For me, it had everything you could want, and I think anyone who loves football could have found it a sensational experience.
According to Kollár Péter, the course of the match could have been different from the very opening minutes had Nombot Anabelle converted her early opportunity, although situations like that also demonstrated the experience of the Icelandic side.
– I am sure it would have been a different match. But that also shows the experience of our opponents: they were excellent at protecting both the 0–0 scoreline and later their 1–0 lead.
For the head coach, the most important takeaway from the tie may be that the players experienced first-hand that they can play with courage and initiative even against a more experienced opponent at international level.
– We definitely have to carry forward the willingness to take responsibility, the confidence and the determination. The girls dared to play, they dared to play football against an opponent with more experience than us. That is what we have to build on – he said.
Böröcz Bettina, who produced several important saves in goal, also stressed that the lessons learned from the first leg in Iceland had been successfully put into practice.
– Based on the previous match, we expected a difficult game, and our opponents showed their quality again today. At the same time, I feel we prepared well for them, and fortunately the things that worked for them in the first match did not work today – said our goalkeeper.
According to Böröcz, the most important lesson was that decisions have to be made significantly faster at international level.
– After the first match, we experienced how much quicker this level is. Playing with three or four touches is not enough; very often you have to solve situations with one or two. I feel we managed to adapt to that tempo this time, and in a match like this everyone has the chance to show their qualities. I think we managed to do that today.
The players could also strongly feel the excellent atmosphere on the pitch. Böröcz Bettina said there were moments when the noise from the stands even made communication between the players more difficult.
– Sometimes we could not even hear our own voices, or information did not reach us in the way we would have liked. It was a great feeling. We are delighted that so many people came out to support us, and we hope we managed to repay that support with a good match.
Kollár Péter also made special mention of the crowd. As he put it, the atmosphere of a genuine European cup match was present not only on the pitch but in the stands as well.
– The whole occasion had the atmosphere of a serious match, both on the pitch and in the stands. If we could maintain this and use it to attract even more spectators, the girls, the team and the whole club would all benefit.
Breiðablik head coach Ian Jeffs also spoke highly of our team’s performance. The Icelandic coach said his side had completed the greater part of the job in the first leg, but did not want simply to come to Miercurea Ciuc and protect their advantage.
– We did a large part of the job in Iceland already, so the aim today was to play a good 90 minutes, progress and make sure we did not just come here to sit back and defend. We can be happy with that – said Jeffs.
The Breiðablik coach also specifically addressed the home side’s defensive performance.
– Csíkszereda’s defensive shape was much better today than it was in the first game. In Iceland we managed to open them up much more often, whereas today they were much more organised and compact, and it was difficult to play through them. They showed good defensive stability.
Jeffs also had positive words for the conditions in Miercurea Ciuc.
– We felt very comfortable here. It is a beautiful place. We did not spend much time here, but it was a good experience. The facilities are fantastic, and both the pitch and the stadium are excellent – said the visiting head coach.
Attention now turns back to the domestic league, with Kollár Péter’s team travelling to Cluj at the weekend, where the head coach says the objective is clearly to win.
– We are properly motivated and aggressive now, so of course we are going to Cluj to win as well – Kollár Péter said, looking ahead to the next match.
UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, first qualifying round, second leg
FK Csíkszereda–Breiðablik 0–1 (0–0)
Goalscorer: Duong (55).
Aggregate: 1–9.
Miercurea Ciuc Municipal Stadium, 2 September 2026, 19:00.
FK Csíkszereda: Böröcz Bettina – Vincze Noémi (Fülöp Boglárka, 60), Bednárová Tereza, Balázs Csilla, Eklund Pinja, Szolomájer Leila – Orbán Aranka, Antal Anita (Ezer Anna, 60), Herczeg Andrea (captain) (Efstratiou Andria, 67), Nombot Anabelle (Katona Flóra, 72) – Shala Jehona (Zán Fábián Panna Klára, 67).
On the Bench: Heim Sara, Lőrincz Kitti, Tănase Dorina.
Head coach: Kollár Péter.
Breiðablik: Guðbjartsdóttir Herdís Halla – Einarsdóttir Olga Ingibjörg, Árnadóttir Kristín Dís, Karlsdóttir Elín Helena (captain) (Vidarsdóttir Elisa, 73), Tómasdóttir Karitas (Albertsdóttir Agla María, 46) – Ágústsdóttir Thórdís Elva, Duong Katelyn, Sigurðardóttir Sunna Rún (Stefánsdóttir Kristín Vala, 68) – Halldórsdóttir Hrafnhildur Ása (Haraldsdóttir Dorothea Osk, 83), Níelsdóttir Bryndís (Van Bemmel Líf, 46), Úlfarsdóttir Úlfa Dís Kreye.
On the Bench: Kane Taylor, Kristjánsdóttir Edith Kristín.
Head coach: Ian Jeffs.
Yellow cards: Ezer (60), Bednárová (90).
Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (Germany).
Assistant referees: Daniela Göttlinger, Jasmin Matysiak (Germany).
Fourth official: Davina Lutz (Germany).
Rédai Attila
Photo: Pál Zoltán