Austria vs Hungary: EURO 2016 Group F Preview & Prediction

Austria kick off their Euro 2016 Group F campaign as they face old rivals Hungary in Bordeaux on Tuesday evening.

The geographical neighbours have met each other 138 times before, the second-most played fixture in international football behind Argentina v Uruguay, but the clash in the south-west of France will be the first time they will have met at a tournament since the 1934 World Cup.

Whilst Hungary have the upper hand in this fixture, winning 66 times to their opponents’ 40, it is the Nemzeti Tizenegy that are the underdogs for this clash.

With Portugal the clear favourites to win the group, it is Austria who are expected to be the best of the rest, and the Burschen are hoping that a victory over their rivals will help them get out of the group stages at the Euros for the first time in their history.

Spearheaded by the seven-goal striker, Marc Janko, Austria breezed through the qualification process after winning all but one of their Group G fixtures. A 1-1 draw at home to Sweden was followed by nine straight wins, including an impressive 4-1 win away in Stockholm later in the qualifying campaign, and Marcel Koller’s men finished an eyebrow-raising eight points clear of second-placed Russia.

Hungary meanwhile had to progress via the play-offs after finishing behind surprise Group F winners Northern Ireland, and runners-up, Romania. Whilst they scored as many goals as the latter, they conceded seven more than the Romanians.

Hungary were underdogs against Norway, but a shock 1-0 win away in Oslo was followed by a 2-1 win at home in Budapest as they qualified for a European Championship for the first time in 34 years.

Bayern Munich star David Alaba is one of Austria’s key men at Euro 2016. Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Austria were the top scorers in the Group G qualifying group with 22 goals, but the Burschen were more than indebted to Janko and midfielder David Alaba. The striker and Bayern Munich star scored half of the team’s 22 goals, although Stoke City’s Marko Arnautovic and Stuttgart forward Martin Harnik also chipped in with three goals each.

Hungary were nowhere near as prolific, scoring just eleven times in Group F, with Daniel Bode and Liverpool flop Krisztian Nemeth netting twice each. But it is at the other end that is of the most interest; their famous trackie-bottom wearing goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, once of Crystal Palace, will be become the oldest ever player to appear at a Euros at 40 years and 75 days, overtaking Lothar Matthaus’ record of 39 years and 91 days, if he starts.

Team News

Fresh from the unlikeliest of Premier League titles, Leicester City left-back Christian Fuchs will captain Austria. The majority of the squad ply their trade in Germany, with their key Bundesliga trio of Alaba, Harnik and Zlatko Junuzovic all expected to be fit.

Hungary meanwhile face a concern with their joint-top scorer in qualifying, Krisztian Nemeth, struggling with his fitness and he may start on the bench. Their star man, Balasz Dzsudzsak, once of PSV Eindhoven, is fit and ready to play at his first international tournament, however.

FIFA World Ranking: Austria – 10th; Hungary – 20th
Best European Championship Finish: Austria – Group Stage (2008); Hungary – Third Place (1964)
Previous Meeting: Austria 1-2 Hungary (August 16, 2006 – International Friendly)
Form: Austria – WLWLWL; Hungary – LWWDDL
Key Men: Austria – David Alaba; Hungary – Balasz Dzsudzsak
Shoot Says: Austria 2-0 Hungary