Hungary futsal team take slender lead into play-off second leg

Having finished second in their group at the Futsal EURO qualifying mini-tournament in Azerbaijan in the spring, Hungary found themselves with one last hurdle to overcome in their quest to qualify for the 2018 finals in Slovenia. The draw pitted Hungary with the best third-placed team, Poland.

The match at the Generáli Aréna in Miskolc saw a near full-house crowd of more than 1,000, creating a noisy atmosphere throughout. Hungary went straight on the offensive early on, Poland seemingly content to soak up the pressure and hit their hosts on the counter.

The first goal came in the 12th minute, the ball coming back to János Trencsényi following a corner on the right, the team captain squaring the ball for Norbert Horváth to score from close-range. Poland then created a number of scoring chances, only to be denied time and time again by Gyula Tóth in the Hungarian goal. János Rábl came close on a couple of occasions with half-time approaching, Ákos Harnisch also having a dangerous-looking shot blocked, and Poland regularly finding a Hungarian defender in the way when a shooting chance arose at the other end.

The second half began with Poland on the attack, Tóth being called upon to make a fine save within the first minute after the restart and then a fine double-save two minutes later. Hungary doubled their lead almost immediately after the Győr keeper’s heroics, Harnisch’s chip adjudged to have been handled by Mikołaj Zastawnik and a penalty awarded. With Zastawnik being booked for protesting, Zoltán Dróth duly stepped up to put Hungary in the driving seat.

Poland sprung into life, Maciej Mizgajski almost uprooting the goalposts with a thunderous long-range effort that crashed off the post on the half-hour mark. Two minutes later they scored what could prove to be a crucial away goal, Tomasz Lutecki firing high into the net from the left to bring them right back into the tie.

Either team could have scored in the closing minutes, Hungary missing two guilt-edged opportunities to score through Péter Komáromi and Bence Klacsák but having to settle for a slender one goal advantage for the second leg in Koszalin, Poland on 26 September.

“When we were two goals up we had the opportunity to score a third; if we hadn’t failed to capitalise the whole match would have run a different course. The Poles made us pay and with us missing a couple of chances late on it meant for a close match. I expect a similar match in the return leg; it promises to be an exciting game” said head coach Sito Rivera after the match.

Hungary 2-1 Poland (1-0)

Hungary: Gyula Tóth - Bence Klacsák, Zoltán Dróth, Ákos Harnisch, Ádám Hosszú. Substitutes: Marcell Alasztics (GK), Richárd Dávid, Róbert Fekete, Péter Komáromi, János Trencsényi, Norbert Horváth, János Rábl, István Gál, Imre Nagy

Goalscorers: HUN: Horváth 12’, Dróth 23’ (pen); POL: Lutecki 32’