Hungary secures vital World Cup qualifier win in front of packed Puskás Aréna!
The Hungarian national football team recorded a 2-0 home win over Armenia in Saturday’s World Cup qualifying match.
World Cup qualifier secured
Marco Rossi’s side controlled much of the game through largely fruitless possession, but early in the second half, they managed to increase the pressure. Debutant starter Dániel Lukács, making his second appearance for the national team, capitalised to give Hungary the lead. In stoppage time, substitute Zsombor Gruber also marked his first international goal to seal the final score.
With four points from three matches, Hungary climbed to second place in the group—overtaking Armenia—to take the current spot for the play-offs. Hungary will next face the group favourites, Nations League champions Portugal, away in Lisbon on Tuesday.
European World Cup Qualifier, Group F, Round 3:
Hungary – Armenia 2-0 (0-0)
Puskás Aréna, 57,825 spectators
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (England)
Scorers: Lukács (56’), Gruber (94’)
Yellow card: Arutyunyan (14’)
Second half highlights
56th minute: Styles received the ball on the edge of the Armenian penalty area and passed to the unmarked Bolla, who played Lukács through. The striker, clean through on goal, slotted the ball into the bottom right corner from 10 metres, past the advancing goalkeeper (1-0).
94th minute: Dárdai won possession near the halfway line, and the ball moved through Szoboszlai and Gruber. The latter laid it off to Dárdai, whose shot deflected off a defender and fell kindly to Gruber. Controlling the ball, the Ferencváros forward smashed it home from six metres into the centre of the net (2-0).
Tribute to György Mezey
Before kick-off, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of former national team manager György Mezey, who passed away early Wednesday morning at the age of 84. Mezey was the coach during Hungary’s last World Cup appearance. The crowd honoured him with loud applause while refraining from cheering for the first five minutes in protest against the stricter supporter regulations introduced this season. Behind one goal, fans deliberately left 200 seats empty, displaying a banner reading: “MLSZ #onlytogether, or not?” (MLSZ #csakegyütt, vagy mégsem?). The first chants heard in the stadium were critical of the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ).
Match overview
From the outset, Hungary dictated play, while Armenia set up to counterattack quickly. Rossi’s men opted for patience rather than relentless pace, circulating the ball and looking for gaps in the Armenian defence. The first opportunity came after ten minutes when Szoboszlai’s tackle allowed Lukács a shot from ten metres, but the goalkeeper saved with his foot. Armenia’s first meaningful attack ended with Tóth making a comfortable save.
Approaching the halfway point of the first period, the play was mainly confined to midfield. Hungary’s attacks lacked dynamism and creativity, making it hard to get behind the Armenian defence. Their second on-target effort arrived only in the 34th minute, with Lukács firing from a tight angle, but Avagyan parried. The best Hungarian move came just before the break, when Bolla’s fine right-wing cross found Szoboszlai well-positioned, only for the Liverpool star to miss the bottom left corner. Hungary enjoyed triple the possession in the first half but could not break the deadlock.
In the second half, Hungary maintained their dominance but increased the tempo, making better use of the flanks with more crosses into the Armenian box. While most were dealt with by the defence, the pressure eventually paid off when Lukács scored his first goal for the national side. Trailing, Armenia abandoned their previously compact defensive approach, leaving more space for Hungary.
The hosts sought to kill the game with a second goal, creating several chances, including Zsolt Nagy’s header against the post. Armenia managed two promising counterattacks, both ending in tame shots easily saved by Tóth. In the final minute of stoppage time, Dárdai’s interception led to a swift counterattack finished by Gruber, prompting a wave of celebration in the stadium.