Disciplined U-21s hold Denmark to deserved draw

With the Under-21 team not playing a fixture for almost a year – the last one being a European Championship qualifier against Turkey last October – these players born after 1 January 1998 have only just begun their preparations for the 2021 European Under-21 Championship which is being joint-hosted by Hungary and Slovenia.

Under new head coach Zoltán Gera, the team is playing six friendly matches this autumn, the first of those being an away match in Aalborg against a strong Denmark team which still included five or six key players who took part in this summer’s Under-21 European Championship.

Denmark were the more active early on but Hungary were disciplined in defence and prevented the home side from creating any real goalscoring opportunities until the 17th minute when Bence Tóth headed off the line. The Vasas defender made a great saving tackle not long after, while at the other end Attila Szalai tried his luck from distance. Hungary were more of an attacking threat as the half wore on but their hosts’ defence coped well, the teams going in goalless at the break.

Hungary continued to press early in the second half but Denmark came back strongly, Zsombor Nagy blocking for a corner in the 56th minute. Tamás Kiss came on for the injured Norbert Kundrák not long after, Szabolcs Schön and Regő Szántó joining him in a new-look attack just after the hour mark which brought Hungary more joy down the flanks. Both teams came close late on but with the defences standing firm, the match finished scoreless. Hungary’s next match is at 20:00 on Monday against Norway at the Pancho Aréna in Felcsút.

“The match went as expected in terms of what I received from my team and how our opponents played. Hats off to the players because they implemented what I asked them to do before the match; they played as a well-organised unit. We made mistakes but that’s natural because we’re at the start of a journey. Our aim is to improve from match to match”, Zoltán Gera commented after the match.

Denmark 0-0 Hungary
Hungary: Patrik Demjén - Bendegúz Bolla, Zsombor Nagy, Attila Szalai, Bence Tóth - Bence Kiss, Bence Szabó (András Csonka, 84’) - Márk Kovácsréti (Szabolcs Schön, 63’), András Schäfer (Regő Szántó, 63’, Kristóf Hinora, 84’), Norbert Kundrák (Tamás Kiss, 55’) - Bence Bíró.