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Scottish fans have been heading home after their team was knocked out of the European Championship by Hungary.
photo: AFP
Hungary scored the winning goal in the 100th minute to beat Scotland 1-0 and advance to the last 16 of the European Championship, while Scotland suffered another defeat in a major tournament.
Kevin Csoboth’s late strike ensured Hungary finished third in Group A with three points, while Scotland – who have yet to reach the knockout stages of either the European Championship or the World Cup – finished bottom of the table with two points.
Hungary will have to wait and see if they can advance to the last 16 with a spot reserved only for the best four third-place finishers.
Their progression now depends on the results of the rest of the group over the next three days. For now, though, Marco Rossi’s side will bask in the drama of a win that saved their hopes just when they thought they were heading home.
“It’s incredible. We’ve never achieved anything in the past without a lot of pain. Today was no different. I think we played the game we needed to play,” Rossi said.
“We created a lot of options, a lot of situations. We left them some chances as well. But overall I think I’d be right if I said it was a well-deserved win,” he added.
The game was intense and although both teams were desperate for a win to remain in Germany, neither team was able to gain control.
Steve Clarke’s Scotland side did dominate possession in the opening 25 minutes but failed to create any clear-cut chances. In fact, they did not have a single shot on target in the first half despite having 61% possession. They ended the match goalless.
At the same time, Hungary gradually got into the game, began to threaten in counterattacks and quickly switch between offense and defense, especially captain Dominik Soboszlai who threatened in set pieces.
In the 41st minute of the match, the midfielder sent a free kick to the far post where Willi Orban was unmarked but his close-range header hit the top of the crossbar.
Che Adams had Scotland’s first shot on target shortly after half-time, but he fired it high.
Terrorist conflict
Play was suspended in the 68th minute after a violent collision between Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn and Barnabas Varga following another Soboslai free kick.
Varga seemed to be unconscious and needed emergency treatment. The Hungarian players surrounded him with blankets as a barrier, with painful expressions on their faces, while Soboslai was in tears.
The striker was carried off the pitch on a stretcher amid applause from the crowd and was taken to a Stuttgart hospital in a stable condition, the Hungarian Football Association said.
Hungary midfielder Callum Stiles said: “It gives us an extra chance and obviously we don’t want to see that in football but thankfully he is conscious now.”
In the 79th minute, substitute Stuart Armstrong rushed towards the ball in the penalty area but collided with Orban and fell. Scotland strongly requested that the penalty be cancelled. However, the referee believed that it was not a foul.
The game became more chaotic as both sides wanted to win.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Gunn made an excellent save from Soboslai’s shot at the near post, and a minute later, Jobos hit the post when he was pressed on the right.
Scotland pushed forward quickly and McTominay slid in to meet a low pass at the near post, but the ball went wide of the target.
Hungary quickly counterattacked from a Scottish corner kick. A long pass through the penalty area fell to Jobos, who shot the ball into the goal, and the Hungarian fans were ecstatic, and the substitutes ran over to celebrate.
Scotland’s bid to make history ended in dramatic fashion as they could only watch in dismay as the match ended in regular time with one of the most spectacular goals in European Championship history.
“It was a horrible game tonight and the guys are falling apart. Yes, but we have to pick them up and slowly but surely we’ll get back into form,” said Scotland captain Andy Robertson.
“But thank you to the country because we feel everyone is behind us and we know the excitement back home – we’re sorry to disappoint you.”
– Reuters
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