MTK claim title after five-year wait

MTK Budapest have been crowned champions of Hungary's 1. Liga for the 23rd time after a 3-0 win at Rákospalotai EAC – breaking Debreceni VSC's three-year grip on the title.

Points guaranteed
MTK are two points above second-placed Debrecen with one game remaining, but are guaranteed a 3-0 default victory next weekend as they are scheduled to face FC Sopron who were expelled from the league in January. Today's win therefore sealed the capital club's first coronation since 2002/03 – and a second as coach for József Garami who also oversaw the championship triumph of 1998/99 during his first spell with the Blue-and-Whites.

Nervous finish
Garami, 68, said: "We ended up winning the title in a game where we showed a lot more nerves than we have done all season. Maybe that was because we have a lot of young players. Anyway, it was a match in which anything could have happened, but the important thing is that we won and got our hands on a deserved title." Debrecen had slipped up in drawing 2-2 at Paksi SE on Friday to allow MTK their chance to secure the crown.