Artmedia continue dream sequence

By Stanislav Hlaváček

A month after winning their first league title, FC Artmedia Bratislava claimed their first Slovakian Super Cup on Friday.

Gajdoš goals
Slovakian Cup winners FK Dukla Banská Bystrica took the lead on 27 minutes through Róbert Semeník. But Vratislav Gajdoš equalised on half-time and struck again eleven minutes into the second period. Czech midfielder Daniel Tchuř put Artmedia 3-1 up in the 65th minute, a scoreline that proved decisive for a team defeated in their only previous Super Cup appearance, 12 months before against MSK Žilina.

Almaty trip
Just one day later, Artmedia set off on the 11,000km journey to the Kazakhstani capital for their UEFA Champions League first qualifying round encounter against fellow tournament debutants FC Kairat Almaty. Celtic FC await the winners of Artmedia's tie, while in the UEFA Cup on Thursday, Žilina go to FK Baku of Azerbaijan with Banská Bystrica exempt until the second qualifying round.

Dubnica run
FK ZTS Dubnica are flying the flag in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, and after eliminating Vasas SC and BB Ankaraspor now play Newcastle United FC. However, striker Pavol Straka and defender Peter Pekárik have returned to Žilina after loans, with experienced defender Róbert Novák joining from Artmedia.

League starts
That tie begins this weekend, when the new league season also starts, the last before the expansion from ten teams to 12. Banská Bystrica will be without former international Peter Dzúrik, who has retired after a distinguished 12-season career that included title wins with 1. FC Košice and AŠK Inter Bratislava. However, Banská Bystrica have welcomed back midfielder Marek Bažík from Žilina, who have replaced him with Róbert Jež, signed after three seasons in the Czech Republic.

Ružomberok departures
MFK Ružomberok, seventh in 2004/05, have seen several players depart. Talented Under-21 international Dušan Švento has joined SK Slavia Praha while Ivan Kozák and Radoslav Kráľ have gone to newly-formed second division club MFK Košice. Two forwards, Brazilian Rafael Fernandes and Serbo-Montenegin Predrag Mijič, have been released.

Trenčín move
Having finished one place below Ružomberok, FK AS Trenčín are kicking off the campaign 10km away in Nemšová, their new ground being the first in the Slovakian top flight to have artificial turf. With defender Slavomír Lukáč now at German team SV Viktoria 01 Aschaffenburg, Trenčín have recruited SK Sigma Olomouc duo Ivo Krajčovič and Jaroslav Prekop on loan.