European Championship
Sep 7, 2014 5.00pm
1
2
HT : 0 0
FT
  • Vilmos Vanczak 35' yellowcard
  • Tamas Priskin 75' goal
  • yellowcard Oliver Norwood 44'
  • goal Niall McGinn 81'
  • goal Kyle Lafferty 88'

Northern Ireland stun Hungary with late fightback in Budapest

Northern Ireland stun Hungary

Late goals from Niall McGinn and Kyle Lafferty saw Northern Ireland spectacularly come from behind and beat Hungary away from home in their opening Group F match in qualifying for Euro 2016.

Both sides had chances inside the early minutes, with Derby County's Jamie Ward scuffing a shot for the visitors before Balazs Dzsudzsak missed the target from 12 yards.

Despite Hungary seeing much more of the ball, it was Northern Ireland who had the best chance to break the deadlock before half time.

It fell to Ward again after he had won the ball on the halfway line and stormed clear. Peter Gulacsi saved in the Hungary goal, with Corry Evans also unable to convert on the rebound.

Gergely Rudolf forced Roy Carroll into a smart save midway through the second half before the home side did go in front when Dzsudzsak's corner was headed home by half-time substitute Tamas Priskin in the 75th minute.

Hungary weren't ahead for long, though, as McGinn tapped home from a few yards out after a neat move with Lafferty of Norwich City.

Aberdeen's McGinn turned provider for the 88th-minute winner, drilling across goal where Lafferty bundled home to give Michael O'Neill's men victory over a team that is ranked more than 50 places higher than them in the FIFA rankings.

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