Hungary’s milestone 1,000th international match ended in disappointment as they fell 3-1 to Turkey in the UEFA Nations League play-off, jeopardizing their hopes of League A qualification.
The clash took place at Istanbul’s RAMS Park, where a reduced crowd of approximately 38,000, despite Turkey’s reputation for fervent support, filled the 52,000-seat stadium amid regional political tensions.
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The atmosphere, however, remained electric, though Galatasaray’s Roland Sallai, a familiar face to the Turkish crowd, was sidelined due to injury.
Turkey struck first, with Orkun Kökçü finding the net from 20 yards in the ninth minute. Hungary responded through András Schäfer’s 25th-minute volley, following a Barnabás Varga header.
The Hungarians held the initiative for the remainder of the first half, fueling optimism among their supporters.
The second half, however, saw Turkey regain control. Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Kökçü’s Benfica teammate, scored with a shoulder-assisted effort in the 69th minute, followed by İrfan Can Kahveci’s goal in the 73rd.
Both goals originated from the Hungarian left flank, leading to criticism of left-back Milos Kerkez from Willi Orbán.
Goalkeeper Dénes Dibusz also faced scrutiny, conceding all three shots on target.
“We must acknowledge Turkey’s superior efficiency,” stated Hungary’s head coach Marco Rossi, as reported by Nemzeti Sport.
“When you give their talented players space and time, you face difficulties. We performed well for a significant portion of the match. However, a 10-12 minute lapse after halftime cost us two goals, despite creating numerous opportunities.”
Hungary now faces a challenging task in the return leg at Budapest’s Puskás Arena on March 23, where they must overcome a two-goal deficit to maintain their League A status.
