Men's Under-19s pipped to qualification by Georgia and Croatia

Hungary’s Under-19 team began their qualification group with a 4-2 reverse at the hands of Georgia in their opening match last Wednesday. Although falling behind to a free kick from Kvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 11th minute, Hungary recovered to level in the 27th as András Huszti bundled the ball over the line after Luka Kutaladze had failed to deal with an Alen Skribek set piece.

Hungary had left-back Olivér sent off for two yellow-card offences just before half-time but appeared to make light of this setback in the 49th minute as Skribek converted a penalty after Kristóf Tóth-Gábor had been fouled in the area. Home joy was short-lived though as Giorgi Guliashvili levelled in the 62nd minute, before substitute Giorgi Moistsrapeshvili put Georgia ahead three minutes later. Anzor Mekvalashvili put the result beyond any doubt in the 82nd minute and with Croatia defeating Kazakhstan, Bene’s Hungary needed something special in their second match.

Matchday 2 saw Hungary take on Croatia on Saturday at ETO Park, just 48 hours after the senior team had lost 3-0 in Split and 24 hours after the Under-21s had fallen 4-1 to their Croatian counterparts. Alas, the game turned out to be third time unlucky for Hungary against Croatia in as many days, Croatia scoring two second-half goals following a goalless and largely even first 45 minutes.

The opening goal came on 53 minutes, Ivan Šarić heading home a cross from Ivan Brnić from the left in off the crossbar from nine metres out. Croatia had the ball in the net again ten minutes later, this time though, Brnić’s effort was disallowed due to Šarić standing in an offside position whilst obstructing the goalkeeper's view. Hungary though were unable to respond and Croatia made sure of the three points a minute before time, captain Mario Vušković making no mistake from the spot after Varju had felled Šarić in the box.

With Croatia and Georgia both on six points having won their first two matches, Tuesday evening’s final match in Gyirmót was a meeting between two teams in search of their first points. A much-changed Hungary dominated throughout, eventually running out 5-0 winners as they restored some pride following the previous Wednesday’s and Saturday’s results.

Team captain Patrik Nyári gave Hungary a 20th-minute lead, scoring with a penalty after an Almos Kalafat shot had been blocked by the hand of Zhalgas Zhaksylykov. Dominik Cipf grabbed the second just under a quarter of an hour later, latching on to Marcell Farkas’ long pass before the onrushing Damir Baishylykov to head home first time. Nyári got his second and Hungary’s third a minute before the break, chesting the ball down and sending a dipping shot into the net from the edge of the box after Kazakhstan had failed to clear following a Kalafat effort which had come crashing off the crossbar.

Kristóf Tóth Gábor added the fourth just seven minutes into the second half, taking an Olivér Kalmár pass in his stride before dinking the ball past substitute keeper Konstantin Puzanov. Cipf then completed the scoring nine minutes before time, bursting between two defenders on the edge of the box before slotting low into the left corner of the net.

“Satisfaction isn’t the right expression now, because we had much more to offer in this tournament. Based on the quality of our football, we could have gone through and I’m sorry that the team hasn’t shown what it’s capable of. All we can do is prove that the results of the past eighteen months weren’t flukes. Today we were playing for pride and I’m sure that there will be players from this team who make the full senior side”, said head coach Ferenc Bene Jr following the final match.

Hungary U19's qualifying group results:

9 October, ETO Park, Győr

Hungary 2-4 Georgia

Goalscorers: HUN: Huszti (27’), Skribek (49’ pen); GEO: Kvaratskhelia, 11’), Guliashvili 62’), Moistsrapeshvili (65’), Mekvalashvili (82’)

Hungary: Ásványi – Huszti, Szűcs, Varju, Kalmár – Hidi (Nyári, 82’), Kocsis (Körmendi, 46’) – Bukta (Cipf, 68’), Szabó (Radics, 46’), Skribek – Tóth-Gábor (Beke, 68’)

12 October, ETO Park, Győr

Hungary 0-2 Croatia

Goalscorers: Šarić (53’), Vušković (89’ pen)

Hungary: Ásványi – Huszti, Szűcs, Varju, Körmendi – Hidi (Radics, 90’), Kocsis (Nyári, 55’) – Bukta, Szabó (Cipf, 55’), Skribek (Kalafat, 75’) – Beke (Tóth-Gábor, 46’)

15 October, Alcufer Stadion, Gyirmót

Hungary 5-0 Kazakhstan

Goalscorers: Nyári (20’ pen, 44’), Cipf (34’, 81’), Tóth-Gábor (52’)

Hungary: Kiss – Lakatos (Huszti, 73’), Farkas, Varju (Szűcs, 84’), Kalmár – Radics (Szabó, 61’), Nyári – Kalafat, Cipf, Bukta (Hidi, 61’) – Tóth-Gábor (Skribek, 73’)