Austria 0-2 Hungary: EURO 2016 Group F Report

One of the teams expected to do well at Euro 2016, Austria, were surprisingly beaten 2-0 by rank outsiders, Hungary, in Bordeaux.

Adam Szalai and Zoltan Stieber were the heroes for Bernd Storck’s men, who hadn’t been at a European Championship finals since 1972, with their second half goals sealing a win against 10-man Austria, who saw Aleksandar Dragovic sent off for two bookable offences.

Austria began with Bayern Munich star David Alaba in midfield, while Stoke City’s Marko Arnautovic also started, as did Leicester City’s Premier League title winner, Christian Fuchs.

Former Crystal Palace goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, sporting his famous grey jogging bottoms, was named between the sticks for Hungary, becoming the oldest player to ever appear at a European Championship finals at the age of 40 years and 75 days old.

Austria nearly scored the fastest ever goal in the competition after just 28 seconds, when Bayern Munich’s Alaba hit a shot from 25 yards that beat Kiraly, but smacked off the post and to safety following a poor clearance.

Three minutes later, Hungary had their first sight of goal, but Laszlo Kleinheisler’s long-range strike was straight at Robert Almer in the Austria goal.

Alaba then had another chance to give his nation the lead, but he could only shoot straight at Kiraly after Arnautovic found him well in the box.

40-year-old Kiraly was one of the heroes in Hungary’s win against Austria. Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Ten minutes before the break, Adam Szalai had a decent chance from Balazs Dzsudzsak’s in-swinging free-kick, but he couldn’t direct his header on target.

Austria had another good chance before the break, but Arnautovic overhit his cross with Harnik just failing to make contact, before Dzsudzsak, the Hungarian captain, shot wide on his weaker right foot after good play by Kleinheisler, as the two teams went in goalless at half-time.

Hungary started the second half the brighter, and it was their skipper who had the first real opportunity, as his fierce 25-yard effort was tipped round the post by Almer, before they made the breakthrough in the 63rd minute.

Kleinheisler, who was an attacking threat throughout, fed the ball into Szalai, who stuck out a leg to stab the ball beyond Almer and into the back of the net – his first goal in 18 months and 59 matches for club and country, and Hungary’s first goal at a European Championships for 16,068 days.

Things got even worse for Austria four minutes later when Aleksandar Dragovic received his second yellow card, in what looked to be a harsh decision.

Krisztian Nemeth went close to extending Hungary’s lead but his effort was well saved by Almer, before Austria had a great chance to level things at the other end.

Leicester defender Fuchs crossed from the left, but Marcel Sabitzer could only fire over from the just inside the penalty area.

Hungary put the game out of sight three minutes from time on the counter attack, with Stieber brilliantly dinking the ball over Almer in the Austria goal to send their fans into raptures.

Man of the Match: Laszlo Kleinheisler (Hungary)

The midfielder, who was only winning his sixth cap for his country, was a positive influence in attack throughout for the Hungarians, was full of energy and provided the assist for Adam Szalai’s opener, playing a neat ball into the box that the striker stabbed past Almer in the Austria goal.

What’s Next?

Austria will look to pick up their first points when they face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Paris on Saturday, while Hungary will look to move closer to advancing to the knockout stages when they play Iceland in Marseille earlier on the same evening.