Subscribe to our social channels to get the latest news about Hungary!
Hungary’s squad qualifies for EURO 2020! – Check out the goals!
Change language:
Late goals from Loic Nego and Dominik Szoboszlai turned around an early deficit against Iceland in the Puskás Aréna tonight and ensured Hungary qualify for their second successive UEFA European Championship next summer.
Gylfi Sigurdsson’s 11th-minute free-kick had put the visitors ahead and although Hungary dominated possession almost from thereon, it looked as if Iceland would snatch victory, but substitute Nego latched on to a deflection and coolly equalised before Szoboszlai scored one of the greatest goals of his burgeoning career so far with a superb individual effort in added time.
Hungary head coach Marco Rossi, absent from the match due to a positive COVID test earlier in the day, opted for a three-man defence in front of goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi in Attila Szalai, Willi Orbán and Endre Botka, that trio lining up behind a five-man midfield of Filip Holender on the left, Zsolt Kalmár, Ádám Nagy and Dominik Szoboszlai in the centre and Attila Fiola patrolling the right side. As expected, Ádám Szalai and Roland Sallai led the forward line.
It was a fast start with the adrenalin clearly flowing in both teams, several wince-inducing challenges appearing to set a frenetic first-half tone.
The first goalscoring chance wasn’t long in coming either, visiting defender Victor Pálsson rising highest to meet a Sigurdsson left-wing corner but he could only connect with the top of his head and Gulácsi was perfectly placed to gather the Icelandic right-back’s downward effort in the centre of the six-yard box.
Sigurdsson, booked in only the fourth minute for a late challenge on Szoboszlai, was given another chance to display his set-piece prowess in the 11th minute when Holender was adjudged to have fouled Johan Gudmundsson in the right channel just outside the Hungary penalty area, and the Everton FC playmaker’s curling, right-footed free-kick was powerful enough to force its way through Gulácsi’s grasp just under the crossbar and into the centre of the goal to hand the visitors an early lead.
Other than the goal, there was little to separate the teams and if anything Hungary began to look the better side. Central defender Willie Orbán has proved dangerous in the opposition penalty area on many occasions in the past and he showcased his undoubted heading ability twice within a minute midway through the first period, first seeing his powerful effort from Sallai’s deep free-kick cleared over the bar and then, from Szoboszlai’s resulting corner, heading straight at Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldórsson from barely ten metres out.