Under-19s progress to Elite Round with five-goal performance against Malta

With Marcus Jahn’s team defeating Slovenia 2-1 in their first match and then succumbing 2-0 to the Dutch in their second, they required a win against Malta in their final match in Lisse coupled with the Netherlands at least getting a draw against the Slovenes in their fixture, if they were to be successful in progressing to next spring’s Elite Round.

Hungary delivered on their part of the deal, Norbert Kundrák setting them on their way in the 16th minute, but with Andrea Borg’s effort deflecting unluckily of Attila Mocsi and into the Hungary goal in the 34th, the scores were still level at half-time. The second half saw Hungary continue to attack, eventually getting their just reward with Zsombor Bévárdi netting from the spot in the 54th and 62nd minute, and then Alexander Torvund scoring two himself from open play in the 66th and 82nd to set the final score of 5-1.

With the Hungary game over attention then turned to the Netherlands-Slovenia match. Slovenia were leading 2-1 at that point, a score which would have put them through along with the hosts, but with the Netherlands scoring a 95th minute equaliser, it meant that Hungary qualify in second place on six points at the expense of the Slovenes.

“We were a little nervous in the first half, we snapped at our chances in particular. We created numerous goalscoring opportunities but only managed to score one goal, and then with an unlucky own-goal we drew the first half” said head coach Marcus Jahn after the match. We were more clinical in the second half and we chalked up a deserved victory. It was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster after the final whistle as at first we thought our victory wouldn’t be enough with Slovenia leading against the Netherlands, but then it turned out the Netherlands scored a last-gasp equaliser which put us through. We deserve to go through based on our performances in the three matches”.

Malta 1-5 Hungary (1-1) 
Hungary: Ádám Varga – Bendegúz Bolla (Máté Krebsz, 84’), Attila Mocsi, Dániel Csóka, Bence Banó-Szabó – Levente Lustyik (Bence Kiss, 80’), András Schafer – Krisztofer Szerető (Alexander Torvund, 46’), Márk Bencze, Zsombor Bévárdi – Norbert Kundrák 
Goalscorers: Bévárdi (2), Torvund (2), Kundrák