For the first time since they began their historic continental campaign, Portuguese minnows Torreense were put to the sword in the Europa League tonight.
The team from Torres Vedras are the only one of 108 clubs competing in the league phase of UEFA’s three club competitions who are in the second flight of their respective country’s football pyramid.
Luís Tralhão’s side have acquitted themselves admirably so far, winning their first match in Norway against Lillestrom and only losing to Sunderland after the English Premier League club scored a 93rd-minute winner.
It was more of the same in the first half in Budapest tonight.
Dele Yusuf put the hosts ahead when he pounced on a loose pass by Alejandro Alfaro and rifled a left-footed finish into the net from the edge of the box.
Pozo scores a beauty
But Torreense hit straight back, star man Manuel Pozo scoring a superb acrobatic volley to level the scores, the teams going into the break all square.
In the second half it was a different story though, with Ferencvaros, regular competitors in Europe, showing their greater pedigree in front of a big crowd at the Groupama Arena.
A towering Mariano Gómez header, an unfortunate Mohamed Diadié own goal and a sliding finish by Krisztián Lisztes saw the home team run out 4-1 winners to make it three wins from three for them in the Europa League.
Torreense’s next match in the competition is a home tie against FC Ararat-Armenia, where the Portuguese team will feel they have a chance of adding to their three points.
