Hungary one win away from World Cup play-offs after victory in Yerevan!
The Hungarian national football team strengthened its claim to a World Cup play-off spot on Thursday with a 1-0 win away to Armenia in Yerevan. Barnabás Varga’s header in the 33rd minute gave Hungary the lead, and the team held onto its slim advantage throughout the second half.
The victory marked Marco Rossi’s 81st match as Hungary’s head coach, setting a new record for consecutive appearances. The previous record was held by Lajos Baróti, who managed the national team in two separate periods for a total of 117 games, MTI reports.
Hungary will host Ireland at the Puskás Aréna in three days. However, the outcome of the final group round may prove less significant. If the Irish lose to Portugal in their match kicking off at 20:45 tonight, the Nations League winners will secure top spot and direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, leaving Hungary to compete in the March play-offs as the group’s runner-up.
European World Cup Qualifiers – Group F, Matchday 5:
Armenia 0–1 Hungary (0–1)
Yerevan, Vazgen Sargsyan Stadium, 14,000 spectators
Goal: Varga B. (33’)
First half
In the 33rd minute, Szoboszlai delivered a cross from the left; Varga jumped above his marker as usual and headed the ball to the right side of the net (0–1).
The 14,000-strong crowd welcomed both teams, but Hungary immediately made it clear they were in Yerevan for the win. Within the first ten minutes, they created two chances: Bolla’s 13-metre shot missed the target, and Schäfer’s run was stopped at the last moment by an alert Armenian defender.
Hungary maintained the momentum, controlling the ball at least twice as much as their hosts, but could not extend their lead. After a corner, Varga headed over the crossbar, and Szoboszlai’s promising shot was blocked by Armenian defenders.
Armenia’s first real opportunity came after more than 25 minutes when Szalai blocked a shot from Sevickyan, who previously played for Ferencváros. Hungary’s dominance paid off with Varga’s world-class header for the opening goal. The team controlled the remainder of the first half but could not increase its advantage.
Second half
After the break, Armenia adopted a more aggressive approach, applying pressure on Hungary’s defence, which managed to repel attacks from the wings. With Hungary struggling to retain possession, Rossi made changes in the attacking line. Soon after, Hungary launched their first full counterattack of the half, but an Armenian defender cleared Szoboszlai’s chance at the last moment. Overall, the match’s pattern remained unchanged: Armenia pressed for an equaliser while Hungary focused on defence.
Twenty minutes from time, the introduction of Tóth and Vitális stabilised Hungary’s midfield, easing pressure on goalkeeper Dibusz as Hungary regained control of the game. Tóth’s shot even grazed the right post. Armenia, however, created their best chance in this period: after Tóth lost the ball, Tiknizyan raced through one-on-one with Dibusz but shot wide. Hungary then held out for the remaining minutes to secure a crucial three points for reaching the play-offs. They were fortunate, though, as Elojan wasted a glaring opportunity from five metres in injury time.
