U21s out of Euros after narrow loss to Romania

Hungary's U21 team went down to ten men before half-time in their second European Championship group-stage match against Romania in the Bozsik Arena, but was still able to take the lead courtesy of András Csonka's finish following a counter attack. However, the visitors equalised just after the midway stage of the second half, and then snatched a winner four minutes before the end of the ninety minutes.

Romania came into the match having earned a 1-1 draw with the higher-ranked Netherlands in the first round of fixtures on Wednesday, while the hosts were looking to take the positives from a 3-0 defeat against Germany which had still been goalless after an hour.

Head coach Zoltán Gera changed the starting lineup from that match gainst the Germans in two positions, András Csonka replacing Mihály Kata and Alen Skribek coming in for Martin Palincsár, while Romania coach Adrian Mutu played the same starting team as had faced the Netherlands.

The first ten minutes of the match belonged to the hosts, Hungary playing proactively and Bendegúz Bolla testing the goalkeeper with a long-distance shot. By the end of the first quarter hour, the game had levelled off and soon Romania took control, but despite a header and a free kick from a dangerous position, they couldn't find a breakthrough. Later, Szabolcs Mezei's free kick was well covered by Romania's goalkeeper before Romania created and then spurned a great opportunity.

In the dying minutes of the half, the game took a disastrous turn for the home side when Adrián Szőke, already on a yellow card, was given a second booking after his arm struck an opponent in an aerial challenge.

The second half still started with parity in terms of the scoreline and remarkably it was Hungary who broke the deadlock, abeit against the run of play. Tamás Kiss advanced with the ball on the left and passed to substitute Donát Bárány before the ball was returned to László Deutsch out on the left. He crossed accurately and with pace for András Csonka to sidefoot the ball into the net six metres out. The following few minutes saw Romania press hard and in response, Zoltán Gera tried to strengthen the defence with a double substitution and some restructuring. That served the team well until the 70th minute, when Alexandru Matan surged into the penalty area from the left wing and placed an accurate shot into the left side of Hungarian goalkeeper Balázs Bese's goal from 15 metres.

Thereafter, Romania through everything at Hungary in search of a winner but all nine of Hungary's outfield players did a tremendous job in keeping their opponents out. They couldn't manage it for whole game though and in the 87th minute, Romania grabbed a late winning goal, a number of brave defensive blocks preceding Alexandru Pașcanu's shot which eventually found its way into Bese's net. Bárány nearly scored a remarkable added-time equaliser but it wasn't to be, this loss ensuring that Hungary won't be able to advance from the group stage.