Northern Ireland came from behind to equalise twice against Hungary but still couldn’t hold out for a point
Northern Ireland conceded a last-minute winner as they lost 3-2 to Hungary in the Women’s Nations League.
Viktoria Szabo’s cross evaded Shannon Turner in goal to give the hosts the lead in the 18th minute in Gyor.
Substitute Caragh Hamilton headed home in the 81st minute but Dora Sule fired in from 35 yards two minutes later.
Simone Magill equalised with a penalty in the 89th minute after Sarah McFadden was fouled, but Hanna Nemeth touched in a 94th-minute free-kick for the hosts.
Northern Ireland’s players fell to their knees at the full-time whistle after a battling performance saw them leave Hungary empty handed.
The late drama moves Hungary ahead of Northern Ireland into second place in League B1. The sides meet again at Seaview on Tuesday.
- Hungary see off Northern Ireland in Nations League - as it happened
On a heavy pitch in Gyor, the hosts settled quicker and Evelin Fenyvesi saw an effort parried away by Turner before Rebecca McKenna reacted quickly to block Szabo’s rebound.
The pressure kept coming as Northern Ireland struggled to get out of their own half, and there was another warning sign as Dora Zeller shot straight at Turner before Szabo’s opener in the 18th minute.
The winger beat McKenna down the left and looked to cross into the area, but the ball flew straight over Turner and into the top corner. It was a touch fortunate, but no less than Hungary deserved after a bright opening spell.
Rebecca Holloway produced two last-ditch blocks to stop Hungary adding to their tally, and Northern Ireland were fortunate not to concede a second when Zsanett Kajan fired a low effort off the post.
That seemed to spark Northern Ireland into life and they grew into the half, but they struggled to create any clear-cut openings in the first half as the sodden pitch limited the amount of flowing football from either side.
Simone Magill’s superb penalty brought Northern Ireland level in the 89th minute but Nemeth’s later winner meant Tanya Oxtoby’s side went home empty handed
Emoke Papai curled wide and Turner did well to deny Zeller, before Northern Ireland’s first chance came when Caitlin McGuinness picked out Rachel Furness 25 yards out and the Bristol City midfielder sent a dipping effort narrowly over.
Turner, who has been deputising in goal in the absence of the injured Jackie Burns, produced a superb save to tip Fenyvesi’s long-range effort onto the woodwork and Papai should have done better after being played in, but the striker could only steer wide.
Danielle Maxwell, who was in the side after being drafted in to the squad to replace Kirsty McGuinness, saw an effort blocked.
Northern Ireland’s perseverance was rewarded when Hamilton, brought on minutes before, rose highest to head home Lauren Wade’s cross and pull Oxtoby’s side level.
Sule’s stunning effort flew into the top corner just two minutes later to undo their hard work, however.
Northern Ireland thought they had secured a draw when Sarah McFadden was fouled by Henrietta Csiszar in the area and Magill kept her cool to fire in a first international goal in two years.
But Csiszar had one final say in the game when she played a looping free-kick into the area and Nemeth got a deft but crucial touch to send it into the net and win the game with the final action.
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
Line-ups
Hungary
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Szocs Booked at 90mins
- 16Vida
- 18Kovács
- 17Németh
- 5Németh
- 19Zeller
- 3Csiszár
- 6FenyvesiSubstituted forSuleat 77’minutes
- 8Szabó
- 13PápaiSubstituted forZágorat 77’minutes
- 7Kaján Booked at 52mins Substituted forPusztaiat 69’minutes
Substitutes
- 2Palakovics
- 4Pusztai
- 9Savanya
- 10Sule
- 11Nagy
- 12Pongrácz
- 14Nagy
- 15Vachter
- 20Sikler
- 21Zágor
Northern Ireland
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Turner
- 2McKenna
- 4McFadden
- 3Vance
- 16Caldwell
- 10FurnessSubstituted forMasonat 90+2’minutes
- 20AndrewsSubstituted forBellat 63’minutes
- 15Holloway Booked at 37mins
- 14Wade
- 11McGuinnessSubstituted forMagillat 63’minutes
- 8MaxwellSubstituted forHamiltonat 79’minutes
Substitutes
- 5Mason
- 6Hamilton
- 7McCarron
- 9Magill
- 12Norney
- 13Burrows
- 17Rafferty
- 18Bell
- 19Wilson
- 21Beattie
- 22Magee
- 23Woods
Referee: Jurgita Macikunyte
