First goals for Lukács and Gruber help Hungary hurdle Armenia

Hungary head coach Marco Rossi selected another refreshing mix of youth and exeriencein his lineup for this third World Cup qualifier of the current campaign, Balázs Tóth replacing Dénes Dibusz in goal behind a back four of Loic Nego, Willi Orbán, Attila Szalai and Milos Kerkez. András Schäfer and Callum Styles formed a twin pivot in central midfield behind Alex Tóth in the number 10 role with Bendegúz Bolla on the right and captain Dominik Szoboszlai drifting inside from the left. With Barnabás Varga and Roland Sallai suspended, Dániel Lukács was handed his first start in the lone striker role.

Rossi had spoken of the need for Hungary to dictate the tempo from the outset and this his team certainly did that, dominating the ball possession statistics throughout. Lukács had the first chance to opening the scoring in the 11th minute but his low shot from eight metres was kicked away by Avagyan in the Armenia goal. It was Lukács again who threatened in the 34th minute, Avagyan beating away his fierce effort from a tight angle, before Szoboszlai arrived to meet Bolla's low cross minutes later, but could only slide the ball wide of the left post from six metres.

Armenia were therefore successful in holding Hungary until the half-time break, but they couldn't survive much longer, only until the 56th minute, in fact, when Lukács capped a fine full international debut by converting Bolla's cross low international right corner of the net from 10 metres, following good work from Szalai and Styles earlier in the move.

Lukács was replaced by Zsombor Gruber in the 63rd minute and Zsolt Nagy came on for Alex Tóth as the hosts sought to hammer home their advantage, but Armenia weren't going to allow that to happen easily. Orbán slid the ball wide from nine metres in the 66th minute and Balázs Tóth beat away Barsegyan's 13-metre shot as the two sides traded opportunities, but neither side could find another breakthrough in normal time, Zsolt Nagy coming closest in the 79th minute when his header from Szoboszlai's corner cannons back of the right post.

Finally though, Hungary secured a vital three points in second-half added time when Gruber pounced on a rebound from another substitute, Márton Dárdai, and stabbed the ball into the Armenia goal from barely six metres out. At the halfway stage of Group F, this hard-earned 2-0 victory has moved Hungary to four points, one ahead of Armenia in third and five behind leaders Portugal, who needed a late goal to defeat Republic of Ireland, now anchored to the bottom of the group on one point, in Lisbon this evening. With three rounds remaining, Rossi will take his team to Portugal for their next match in the Estádio José Alvalade on Tuesday evening.

Hungary 2–0 Armenia (HT: 0–0)
Puskás Aréna, Budapest
Att: 57,285. Ref: Chris Kavanagh (assistants: Dan Cook, Ian Hussin), ENG
HUN: Balázs Tóth – Nego, W. Orbán, Szalai A., Kerkez (Dárdai M., 90) – Schäfer, Styles (Vitális, 75) – Bolla (Osváth, 75), Szoboszlai, Alex Tóth (Nagy Zs, 63) – Lukács D. (Gruber, 63). 
Head coach: Marco Rossi
ARM: Avagyan – Hovhannisan, S. Muradyan, G. Harutyunyan (Miranyan, 86), Piloyan – Bicahcyan (Serobjan, 59), Ivu (K. Muradyan, 79), Spertsyan – Barsegyan (Ranos, 79), Zelarayan (Sagoyan, 59), Tiknizyan. 
Head coach: Egise Melikyan
Goalscorers: Lukács (56), Gruber (90+4).