PHOTOS: Czechs could not beat Hungarians

Hungary head coach Marco Rossi opted to make just one change from the starting lineup which triumphed over Serbia last Thursday, Zsolt Kalmár replacing Ádám Nagy in central midfield. This meant second matches in four days for the usual three-man defence of Willy Orbán, Attila Szalai and Ádám Lang in front of Dénes Dibusz in goal. They were supported by a four-man midfield of Milos Kerkez, Kalmár, Callum Styles and Loic Nego who sat behind Roland Sallai and captain Dominik Szoboszlai in the forward playmaking areas with Barnabás Varga even further forward as the team’s lone striker, mlsz.hu wrote.

An evenly-contested first half in front of nearly 60,000 fans in the Puskás Aréna saw the hosts gradually assert themselves on the game without ever being able to break the deadlock. It was actually the visitors who started the second period the better, so it was somewhat against the run of play when Sallai converted Kerkez’s superb cross from the left wing after the wing-back had been set free by Varga in the 52nd minute.

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That lead wouldn’t last long though, Václav Jurecka latching on to Lang’s short header to run in one on one against Dibusz and slot the ball into Hungary’s goal. Both teams put plenty of effort into winning the game thereafter, but late efforts from Szoboszlai and Kerkez couldn’t quite re-establish the hosts’ advantage and thus the scoreline remained the same until the final whistle.