Hungary Women go down battling against Sweden

Drawn in a tough Euro 2021 qualifying group along with highly-fancied Sweden and Iceland, Edina Markó’s Hungary team began their campaign with a 4-1 defeat in Reykjavík. Their second match of the campaign saw Sweden as the visitors to the Diósgyőri Stadion in Miskolc on Friday evening.

Sweden – ranked 5th in the world, compared to the hosts’ 44th position – began the match in determined mood, it only taking them two minutes to record their first shot on goal. For their part, Hungary came close in the 12th minute as Zsanett Jakabfi almost found Bernadett Zágor in front of goal, the ball just a little too far in front of the forward to make contact.

The visitors took the lead in the 13th minute with their first real goalscoring opportunity, Magdalena Ericsson meeting Kosovare Asllani’s flighted free kick to send a looping header into the corner of the net past the outstretched Réka Szőcs. Hungary, though, restricted Sweden for the rest of the half as the teams went in with the Swedes 1-0 ahead at the break.

Two goals within six minutes from Madelen Janogy all but settled matters, the left-sided forward scoring in the 46th and 51st minutes to put Sweden 3-0 up. For her first, she received the ball in midfield, evaded the challenges of three defenders and slotted the ball low into the right-hand corner of the net from fourteen metres. Her second saw her arrive in the box to meet a Sofia Jakobsson cross from the right and plant, unchallenged, a firm header past Szőcs from seven metres.

Both teams had opportunities to score as the half wore on but it was Sweden who struck twice in second-half time added-on to secure a comfortable 5-0 victory. Jakobsson got the fourth, converting a cross from the left by substitute Fridolina Rolfö, fellow substitute Loretta Kullashi scoring the fifth with the last kick of the match after Szőcs had blocked a shot from the Sweden number 18.

“We gave a good account of ourselves in the first half, but the first forty-five minutes took a lot out of us both mentally and physically, which resulted in us conceding two quick goals in the second half. Our energy continued to dwindle and it showed in our decision-making as the game wore on that we were tiring. We came out for the second half with the determination that all was not lost and that we’d strive to get back into the game. We would need to play opponents of this strength every week to mentally cope with the intensity until the end against such strong opponents. I’m very proud of our first half performance; it’s the best we’ve played against a top opponent. Next we have Slovakia and then Latvia. Both will be tough matches but we’ll be looking to win them”; head coach Edina Markó commented after the match.

Slovakia won 2-1 away to Latvia in the group’s other match, which means that Sweden and Iceland are on six points after two matches, Slovakia on three, and Hungary and Latvia still to pick up points.

Hungary 0-5 Sweden (HT: 0-1)

Goalscorers: Ericsson (13’), Janogy (46’, 51’), Jakobsson (90+3’), Kullashi (90+5’)

Hungary: Szőcs – Mosdóczi, Turányi, V. Szabó, Csiki – Jakabfi (Kocsán, 70’), Rácz, Csiszár – Zágor (Csányi, 67’), Vágó (Fenyvesi, 84’), Zeller