Women’s U17s reach Elite round with 100% winning record

Dorottya Schumi’s Women’s Under-17 team made light of their qualifying group as they cruised to qualification for the Elite round for the seventh year in a row, racking up eighteen goals without conceding in their three matches to top their group with three wins from three.

Emőke Pápai led the way in the goalscoring charts, bagging five in the first match against Bulgaria and another two against Kazakhstan. Cecília Mészáros also found her scoring boots with a brace in each of these matches, whilst Blanka Bokor was the match winner against Poland on Matchday 3.

Matchday 1 saw a 7-0 victory over Bulgaria in which forward Emőke Pápai and Cecília Mészáros ran riot, Hungary 4-0 to the good by the halfway stage before they added a further three in the second half without reply. Matchday 2 was a similar story, Hungary two goals up within the first five minutes and refusing to take their foot off the gas as they went in 6-0 at the break and then notched a further four goals in the second half.

The final match against Poland promised to be the toughest challenge, Poland having defeated Kazakhstan 10-0 in their first match which was delayed by a day due to torrential rain, and then Bulgaria 4-1 on Matchday 2. Hungary had plenty of chances in the first half, Glória Siber, Emma Lovász, Pápai and Csilla Savanya all coming close, but the teams went in 0-0 at the break.

The all-important goal came in the 50th minute, Savanya breaking at pace and although her first cross was cut out, Poland failed to clear their lines to leave Blanka Bokor with the opportunity to convert. Poland came close to levelling on a couple of occasions thereafter, but Hungary held on to secure a 1-0 victory along with top spot in the group, which could pay dividends when seedings for the Elite round are decided.

Talking after the match, Dorotty Schumi stated: “We were compact and played a well-organised match today. The girls carried out our game plan and played with heart. It was great to play on such a wonderful pitch and the support from the stands also played its part. It’s not often that we play in such surroundings and it gave the girls extra motivation to do well. It means a lot that we succeeded in defeating a truly strong opponent in the shape of Poland; such matches can only help our development”.

2 October, Haladás Sportcomplexum

Hungary 7-0 Bulgaria

Goalscorers: Pápai (5’, 23’, 33’, 75’ pen, 90+3’), Mészáros (28’, 57’)

Hungary: Borók – Vigh (S. Siber, 81’), Sain, Németh, Vida – Lovász (Csizmadia, 65’), Savanya (Antalicz, 65’), Mészáros, Bokor (Juhász, 81’), G. Siber (Sali, 65’) – Pápai

5 October, Haladás Sportcomplexum

Hungary 10-0 Kazakhstan

Goalscorers: Pápai (4’, 79’), Plotnikova (OG, 5’), Savanya (14’, 90’), Mészáros (22’, 70’), Vida (30’), G. Siber (40’), Sosnovskaya (OG, 60’)

Hungary: Török – Vigh (Székely, 57’), Bokor, Sain (Lovász, 46’), Benke – G. Siber (Sali, 68’), Mészáros, Savanya, Csizmadia (Antalicz, 57’), Vida – Pápai (Kocsis, 80’)

8 October, Haladás Sportcomplexum

Hungary 1-0 Poland

Goalscorer: Bokor (50’)

Hungary: Borók – Vigh, Sain, Németh, Vida – Lovász (Antalicz, 58’), Savanya, Mészáros (Csizmadia, 90+3’), Bokor, G. Siber - Pápai