First qualifying loss

Croatia takes the lead, Hungary takes the points

24.03.2019.

Photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS

Zlatko Dalić's men suffered their first EURO 2020 qualifying defeat, succumbing to Hungarian hosts on Sunday night in Budapest.

HUNGARY - CROATIA 2:1 (1:1)
EURO 2020 qualifier, Group E.
Groupama Arena, Budapest.

Referee: W. Collum (Scotland)

Goals: 0:1 - Rebić (13'), 1:1 - Szalai (34'), 2:1 - Patkai (76')

Cautions: Dzsudszak (63'), Lovren (82')

Hungary: Gulacsi, Kadar, Orban, Barath, Lovrencsics, Patkai, A. Nagy, D. Nagy (40' Varga), Szoboszlai (65' Kalmar), Dzsudzsak (85' Bese), Szalai. Head coach: M. Rossi.

Croatia: Kalinić, Barišić (30' Leovac), Vida, Lovren, Jedvaj (77' Petković), Brozović, Modrić, Perišić, Rakitić, Rebić (67' Brekalo), Kramarić. Izbornik: Z. Dalić

Croatia national football team failed to score points in its second EURO 2020 qualifying challenge. Despite taking an early lead, the Budapest hosts were too high an obstacle.

Head coach Dalić returned Lovren, Jedvaj, Brozović, and Rebić to his starting lineup, and it was Rebić to finish off a Modrić and Kramarić move on 13 minutes.

Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

At the half-hour mark, Barišić was off due to injury, and minutes later, Hungary captain Dzsudzsak found Szalai, who beats Kalinić from a tight angle.

In the second half, Croatia continued to search for goalscoring opportunities, but it was Hungary that was finally on target. On 76 minutes, Patkai scrambled the ball in to make it 2:1 to the hosts.

Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

In other Sunday's encounter in Group E, Wales hosted Slovakia and celebrated a 1:0 win. Croatia now awaits the home tie with Wales, on 8 June in Osijek.

EURO 2020 qualifying, Group E:
1. Slovakia 3 (2)
2. Wales 3 (1)
3. Hungary 3 (2)
4. Croatia 3 (2)
5. Azerbaijan 0 (1)

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