Image Credits: Imago Images
Hungary secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Armenia in Yerevan on Wednesday night, keeping their World Cup qualification hopes firmly on track ahead of a crucial showdown with the Republic of Ireland.
The result means the Republic of Ireland must now win in Budapest to claim a play-off spot, with Hungary sitting second in Group F on eight points.
Barnabás Varga’s 33rd-minute header proved to be the decisive moment in what was otherwise a tense affair at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium.
Dominik Szoboszlai provided the assist for the winning goal, with the Liverpool midfielder’s delivery showcasing his quality once again as he was later named Man of the Match.
Hungary dominated the first half but found things more difficult after the break as Armenia pressed for an equalizer, though Marco Rossi’s side held firm to claim all three points.
For Milos Kerkez, the match represented a valuable opportunity to remind people of his quality after a difficult start to life at Liverpool.
The 21-year-old left-back has endured a challenging opening few months at Anfield following his £40 million summer move from Bournemouth
On international duty, however, Kerkez put in a solid 86-minute performance for Hungary.
But it seems that he has lost a bit of confidence at Anfield, at least according to Hungarian outlet Nemzeti Sport.
The Hungarian newspaper gave him a 6/10 and claims he has lost some confidence:
“Hungary started actively, and in the 18th minute, Kerkez attempted to pick out the well-timed run of Dominik Szoboszlai, but his pass was too heavy, and after his next intervention the ball went out for a throw-in, showing some uncertainty.”
“In the 32nd minute, he broke forward brilliantly but delivered a poor cross; still, he played with plenty of intent.”
“After the break, there were some surprising moments from him, with a few misplaced balls going out for throws, as if his confidence from Liverpool had faded slightly.”
Hungary’s 1-0 win over Armenia was a pivotal result in World Cup qualifying Group F, especially after Ireland shocked the group by beating Portugal 2-0 last night.
The victory keeps Hungary’s hopes of automatic qualification or a play-off spot alive and sets up a dramatic finish to the group, with Ireland now gaining ground.
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