National Football Team’s Unbeaten Streak Continues with Victory against Kosovo

The Hungarian national football team, preparing for the summer European Championship, beat visiting Kosovo 2-0 in a friendly match at Puskás Arena on Tuesday.

Dominik Szoboszlai scored in the 58th minute and Zsolt Nagy increased the goal difference in the 86th. With Attila Mocsi coming on as a substitute, Marco Rossi inaugurated a newcomer.

The Hungarians are now unbeaten in 14 meetings, a streak last matched by the legendary “Golden Team” after losing the 1954 World Cup final in Bern. Ferenc Puskás and his team were unbeaten in 18 matches.

The national team will next take on the Irish on June 4, at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

The Hungarians started the match well, but failed to make key passes in the attacking third, thus no major situation developed in front of the Kosovo goal. After ten minutes, the visitors got more courageous. Most of the game was played in the box, and the national team in this formation – seven changes from Friday’s starting eleven – looked unconventional in attack, but also in defense in places. The lack of effectiveness was best illustrated by the fact that Rossi’s side did not have a single attempt on goal before the break.

The Hungarian head coach tried to freshen up his team with a trio of substitutions at half-time, and they started the second half better.

The better play soon paid off as Szoboszlai scored against Kosovo, and the crowd chanted the captain’s name afterwards.

In the second half, Kosovo no longer posed any threat to Dénes Dibusz’s goal, and the Hungarian side became more effective in attack, with Nagy securing the team’s victory in the 86th minute.

The friendly match was a miserable affair, according to national team captain Rossi. He stressed that even in the light of the current game, the progress of the national team is clear, because he remembers how the national team played before 2020. “If anyone thinks that the Hungarian national team should dominate for 90 minutes, they are wrong. It is not realistic to expect us to dictate the tempo from the first to the last minute,” emphasized Rossi.

“We wanted to attack and create a numerical advantage, we had good chances and could have taken the lead. From the 60th minute onwards, the opponent’s lead changed the game,” said Franco Foda, the German head coach of Kosovo’s team.

It is very difficult to play against the Hungarians when you are behind because they are very good in transition.”

Foda noted that the Hungarian team deserved to qualify for the European Championship, where he believes they could be a threat to any team. He called Szoboszlai an outstanding footballer and praised the team’s determination.

Szoboszlai’s team, Liverpool FC, also celebrated the Hungarian player in an X post.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s goal helped Hungary on their way to a 2-0 victory over Kosovo this evening pic.twitter.com/VOX6IqRVDy

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 26, 2024

Via MTI; Featured image via MTI/Illyés Tibor