Hungary 1-3 Switzerland
Euro 2024 is up and running and on Saturday afternoon Switzerland picked up a vital victory in a Group A clash against Hungary.
Kwadwo Duah, a surprise starter, gave the Swiss an early lead, teed up by Michel Aebischer who added a second with a superb strike on the stroke of half time. Hungary fought back in the second half and Barnabas Varga halved the deficit with 20 minutes left but as the Magyars pushed for a leveller Breel Embolo made the points safe.
Germany opened up the tournament with a clash against Scotland on Friday night, picking up their expected win, but is some style. The hosts gave the Scots an almighty shellacking with a 5-1 victory, five different players scoring, as well as Anton Rudiger scoring an own goal for Scotland.
So any hopes that Germany would choke under the pressure were swiftly swept away and that made this match a six-pointer in the race for a top two place in Group A. And Switzerland have taken full advantage.
Highlights of the game
In a first half with plenty of pressing and energy from both teams, 27 year old Duah stamped his name on the Euro 2024 news with a 12th minute opener. It was a brilliantly taken goal and well worked, as Aebischer slid through an inch perfect ball to Duah who sprung the offside trap, gave Peter Gulacsi the eyes and fired his low shot home.
Murat Yakin’s decision to start with Duah had raised a few eyebrows, but what a decision!
Switzerland were on top and almost doubled their lead on 20 minutes when Milos Kerkez hit a sloppy pass which Augsburg striker Ruben Vargas intercepted, but this time Gulacsi stood up well and made a great save.
In Hungary’s best chance of the half, had Willi Orban got a better header onto a superb cross from Dominik Szoboszlai the Magyars would have been level, but instead they were soon 2-0 down.
On the stroke of half time Aebischer picked up the ball, just outside the penalty area, and, unable to find a pass he tried his luck and beat Gulacsi with a superb strike into the bottom right corner.
Switzerland’s midfield general Granit Xhaka has only lost two games for club and country in a year; and he dictated the pace and controlled the midfield for much of a first half dominated by the Swiss as they went in at the break nicely in control.
Both teams came out with for the second half on the front foot, Hungary seeking a way back into the game and Switzerland hoping to put the match to bed. And it was the Swiss who had the first serious chance, Vargas drawing another good save from Gulacsi.
But Hungary were not done and, shortly after planting a firm header inches wide, Varga met an inch perfect Szoboszlai cross with a deft flick past Yann Sommer and into the net.
Now the pressure cranked up on Switzerland as Hungary captain Szoboszlai became more involved, putting dangerous crosses into the Swiss penalty area. But chances were hard to come by and, as the Magyars committed men forward, Breel Embolo took advantage of a poor defensive header to lob home the clincher.
Key Statistics
The SBOTOP odds for this match predicted a tight game with Switzerland the most likely side to win it, and so they did in some comfort in the end, with 15 shots to six and seven to two on target.
Duah’s first international goal came with only his second shot for Switzerland; and Aebischer is the first Swiss player to score and assist in the same game at a finals tournament.
Remember, this is a Hungary side which hammered England 4-0 in the UEFA Nations League not so long ago and a friendly loss to Ireland last week was the Magyars’ first defeat since 2022. But they simply didn’t do enough in the first half and now Switzerland have lost only one of their last ten meetings with Hungary.
What’s next?
According to the pre-tournament Euro 2024 betting odds neither of these teams will find it easy to make it to the quarter finals but Switzerland should be confident of taking a top two place while Hungary will know that four points will probably be enough to get them through as one of the best third placed teams.
Next up in Group A Hungary meet the hosts Germany on Wednesday, while Switzerland will take on Scotland on the same day.
With the first two matches done and dusted the tournament is ready to take off, and over the next two days Spain, Italy, England and France will all be in action.
Bring it on!
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