Hungary women secure first point in World Cup qualification campaign

Having lost 6-1 at home to Denmark in their opening qualification match in Gyirmót in September, Edina Marko’s team were seeking to get their campaign off and running against an improving Croatia team in the first of two fixtures they play within the space of a week.

Neither team began in overly adventurous fashion, seemingly content to weigh each other up whilst keeping things tight at the back. The result was a first-half in which goalmouth action was at a premium, Fanni Vágó having Hungary’s best chance in the 10th minute when she fired over following a corner, whilst at the other end Réka Szőcs was a virtual spectator.

The match continued in a similar vein after the break, Hungary attempting to breach the Croatian rearguard down the flanks, and the visitors looking most dangerous from set-pieces. Hungary eventually broke the deadlock in the 75th minute after Croatia had played themselves into trouble in defence. Goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec played a slack pass out under pressure from Csiszár; substitute Lilla Sipos nipping in ahead of Iva Landeka and slipping the ball to the number 3, who made no mistake with low shot into the corner from just inside the box.

Hungary’s lead didn’t last for long, Croatia equalising four minutes later as an unmarked Sandra Žigić scoring with a glancing near-post header from a Landeka corner on the left. Worse was to follow for Edina Markó’s team. Kristina Šundov almost gave the visitors the lead two minute later, her header crashing off the crossbar with Szőcs well beaten, and then Isabella Dujmenovic giving Croatia the lead in the first minute of injury time, heading home after substitute Ana Jelenčić had nodded the ball across the face of goal following a Žigić corner.

With time running out, Hungary immediately went on the offensive, winning two free-kicks in quick succession in front of the Croatian goal. First, Žigić fouled Evelin Mosdóczi some thirty yards out, and when Landeka fouled Csiszár immediately following Vágó’s free-kick, Hungary’s captain stepped up to send a low shot into the bottom left-hand corner from 25 yards out and salvage a share of the points.

“We had banked on one goal not being sufficient for victory and also that set-pieces would play an important role in the match. This is how it turned out, as we unfortunately conceded twice from corners. We have plenty to ponder, especially in our attacking play. We didn’t really put into practice what we’d worked on on the training pitch before the game. Overall I feel that a draw is a fair result” said head coach Edina Markó after the match.

Hungary’s next World Cup qualifier sees them play away to Sweden on 24 October.

Hungary 2-2 Croatia (0-0) 
Hungary: Réka Szőcs – Alexandra Tóth, Szabina Tálosi, Szilvia Szeitl, Viktória Szabó – Evelin Fenyvesi, Henrietta Csiszár – Zoé Magyarics (Evelin Mosdóczi 62’), Zsófia Rácz (Ágnes Nagy 87’), Fanni Vágó – Loretta Németh (Lilla Sipos 46’)
Goalscorers: Csiszár (75’, 90+4’); CRO: Žigić (79’), Dujmenovic (90+1’).