Hungary defeated Serbia and punched its ticket to Germany

Hungary took a giant step towards Euro 2024 after defeating Serbia 2-1, where it tied on points at the top of group G. After this victory at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, the Hungarian national team Marco Rossi It remains unbeaten, with 13 points in 5 games, compared to 10 in 6 games for its current rival. Montenegro is third with 8 points.

Serbia, who lost in Belgrade in Hungary also last month by 1-2, began to create danger with two counterattacks on the left led by Andrija Zivkovic and Mijat Gacinovic that they could hardly find the scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic.

On the other hand, Hungary, led by Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), was very effective and, almost from their first arrival, opened the scoring with a fast and perfect game.

Much of the credit went to Roland Sallai, who put a long ball down the right that caught the Serbian defense by surprise. Loic Nego attacked the space for speed and delayed it Barnabás Varga will push the ball into the net with a precise hit (twenty’).

Varga, 38 goals in 2023

At 29 years old, the Ferencvaros forward completes an extraordinary 2023, during which he has already scored 38 goals. In the Hungarian national team he has an outstanding average, with three goals in six international games.

Serbia found the way to goal on a set piece. Zivkovic took a corner and the middle Strahinja Pavlovic beat everyone at the near post to head into the net (33′).

Sallai responded to Serbia’s goal in a minute

Hungary’s response was immediate, with another play to the right and again after help from Nego which Roland Sallai completed with great control and, after letting the ball bounce, with an unattractive shot (34′).

If the first half was intense and colorful with both teams looking for opposing goals, the second did not disappoint either. Serbia came out determined in search of at least a tie, they had possession and they never stopped pressing.

In the 50th minute, Mitrovic had a goal disallowed for a very tight offside by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Hungary was once besieged until it found escape routes in extremely dangerous weakness. like that Szoboszlai put in a measured cross to Varga, that header, by all intents and purposes, is rejected by the outside of crossbar (67′).

Two posts in the same play

Serbia also crashed twice in a very clear double occasion with the veteran first Dusan Tadicwho came in after the break, and Pavlovic On the rebound they failed to get the ball into the net despite finishing very close to the goal (70′).

Of course, on the next play, Bendeguz Bolla was alone against Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, but, with all credit, he hit the ball badly. Varga sent a header into the hands of the Serbian goalkeeper before being substituted, while in defense Hungary were strong at the back, enduring the result without suffering and maintaining their overall points total (9 out of 9) at home in the qualifying phase this.