The Cup final presented a battle between Communism and democracy as well: Honved vs Pecsi MFC. Honved, quite shaken at the moment and in danger of relegation, still managed to reach the Cup final and had a good chance to win a trophy. Pecsi MFC had strong season, but they were smallish provincial club, which never won anything before. Freedom prevailed, though – at least if one wants to see the Cup final in such light. Pecsi MFC won 2-0.
Honved lost and for many that was great: the club largely symbolizing Communist rule was rapidly going down. Yes, they were the most famous club abroad thanks to the great team in the 1950s, lead by Puskas, but it was also well remembered how Honved came into existence and how the great team was assembled. The name of small Budapest club came back: Kispest. There was Kispest once upon a time and Communists made their Honved out of it. Let’s restore the original – the idea was ripe at the time, then, as elsewhere in Eastern Europe, it turned out that it is not easy to erase Honved. But the club lost its leading role.
Forget politics – there was football and enormous joy: Pecsi MFC won their very first trophy to the delight of the denizens of Pecs. Smallish club from provincial town, normally playing in the First Division, but nothing more than that. Success was entirely unfamiliar to them during their long history. Now it finally arrived. Delightful moment to be fondly remembered. Especially because it was not repeated. So, the team was instant legend at home.
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