Hungary hold Portugal in thriller – Hungary v Portugal EURO 2016
Group F
Hungary 3-3 Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal drew 3-3 with Hungary, finishing third in Group F at Euro 2016 after drama elsewhere. Portugal qualified from the group but events in Paris – where Iceland scored a stoppage-time winner to beat Austria 2-1 – meant they avoided a last-16 clash with England, and will instead play Croatia. Hungary qualified in first place, while Iceland assured progression in second place.
Zoltan Gera scored a stunning opener with a half-volley from 25 yards after 19 minutes, but Nani levelled things up for Portugal with a first-time finish three minutes before half-time.Balazs Dzsudzsak’s deflected free-kick two minutes after half-time made it 2-1 to Hungary, before Ronaldo’s sublime flick brought Portugal level.Dzsudzsak regained Hungary’s lead with another deflected effort from inside the area, but once more Ronaldo came to the rescue, heading home from eight yards for a fourth goal in 16 minutes.
Hungary will now play the runners-up from Group E in the last 16.Having already guaranteed qualification to the last 16, Hungary made five changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Iceland at the weekend, while Portugal brought in Joao Mario and Eliseu.
Nani headed Joao Mario’s ball over the bar during an even start on a hot evening in Lyon, but Hungary went ahead in sublime fashion through a familiar face.Controlling a cleared corner with his chest, former Fulham and West Brom midfielder Gera then unleashed a superb half-volley with his left foot into the bottom right corner past Rui Patricio, who had no chance. It was nearly 2-0 minutes later with Portugal swaying, but Akos Elek could only strike down Patricio’s midriff after some poor defending by Pepe.Ronaldo took three free-kicks in the first half, the second of which from 35 yards forced a decent save out of Gabor Kiraly, but the Real Madrid star had a big part to play in Portugal’s equaliser.Picking up the ball 45 yards out, Ronaldo’s fine through ball found his former Manchester United team-mate Nani, who shot early past Kiraly at his near post from 12 yards. There were four goals in 16 minutes after the break, Dzsudzsak scoring with a deflected free-kick off Andre Gomes’ shoulder.
Ronaldo then became the first player to score at four European Championships, flicking Joao Mario’s right-wing cross between his legs and past Kiraly into the bottom left corner.Five minutes later it was Dzsudzsak who scored again for Hungary, his left-footed shot from just inside the area deflecting off Nani and past the outstretched hand of Patricio for 3-2.But Ronaldo again clawed Portugal back in it, glancing a header home from eight yards after Joao Mario’s fine ball from the left, but with thanks to some poor marking from Hungary.
Gergo Lovrencsics’ cross then found the on-running Elek, who hit the post from 12 yards with a first-time effort, and with the scores at 3-3 and with Iceland drawing 1-1 with Austria in Paris, Portugal were set to face England in the last 16.As the final whistle went in Lyon the situation remained the same, with Portugal pipping Iceland to second place on goals scored, but Arnor Ingvi Traustason’s last-gasp winner for Iceland means they will play England in Nice on Monday, while Portugal play Croatia in Lens on Saturday and Hungary face Belgium in Toulouse on Sunday.
Man of the Match – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Substitutions:
Hungary –
- Barnabas Bese replaces Zoltan Gera 46 mins
- Krisztian Nemeth replaces Adam Szalai 71 mins
- Zoltan Stieber replaces Gergo Lovrencsics 83 mins
Portugal –
- Renato Sanches replaces Joao Moutinho 46 mins
- Ricardo Quaresma replaces Andre Gomes 61 mins
- Danilo Pereira replaces Nani 81 mins
Yellow cards:
Hungary – Richard Guzmics,Roland Juhasz,Zoltan Gera,Balazs Dzsudzsak.
Portugal – None.
