2019 Slovak Cup final
The 2019 Slovak Cup final, known as the Slovnaft Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the final match of the 2018–19 Slovak Cup, the 50th season of the top cup competition in Slovak football. The match was played at the Štadión pod Zoborom in Nitra on 1 May 2019 between Spartak Trnava and Žilina.
Spartak Trnava took a 3–0 lead shortly after half time thanks to a goal from Fabian Miesenböck and a brace from Kire Markoski. However, the match went to extra time after a Filip Balaj brace and a Róbert Boženík goal for Žilina. There were no further goals in extra time and Spartak Trnava won the trophy 4–1 on penalties.
Background
Following the Velvet Divorce in 1992, Spartak Trnava had once previously won the Slovak Cup – in 1998 when they defeated Košice 2–0 – and had reached the final on five previous occasions.Similarly, Žilina had once previously won the Slovak Cup in the post-Czechoslovakia era – in 2012 when they defeated Senica 3–2 – and had reached the final on three previous occasions.
Road to the final
Spartak Trnava
Spartak Trnava began the competition by defeating Rača 9–0 in the second round. In the third round, they defeated Slovan Most 3–1. Spartak Trnava then defeated Partizán Bardejov 5–0. In the last 16, they defeated Železiarne Podbrezová 2–0. After a goalless draw, they then defeated Košice 4–3 on penalties. In the semi-finals, Spartak Trnava defeated Senica 1–0 on aggregate.Žilina
Žilina began the competition by defeating Ďarmoty 7–0 in the second round. In the third round, they defeated Tatran Krásno 6–0. Žilina then defeated Tatran Prešov 2–1. In the last 16, they defeated Sereď 3–1. They then defeated Skalica 4–1. In the semi-finals, Spartak Trnava defeated Zemplín Michalovce 3–1 on aggregate.''Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first.''