Ukraine 1-2 Hungary: Csinger's late drama seals sweet Nations League revenge

The UEFA Nations League League B Group 2 rematch at the neutral City Arena in Slovakia saw a fiery encounter as Hungary sought revenge for their 1-0 defeat to Ukraine in the reverse fixture. Tension was high as both sides desperately needed all three points to boost their promotion hopes.

The game's turning point arrived with a moment of magic from centre-back Márk Csinger in the 85th minute, sealing a dramatic 2-1 victory for Hungary just moments after Ukraine had equalised. Here is how a breathless encounter unfolded.

Explosive second half and a dramatic late sucker punch

Ukraine dominated possession in the first half, registering six attempts, but found themselves completely frustrated by a resolute Hungarian defence.

The deadlock was broken in the 52nd minute when Hungary took a surprise lead, Milán Tóth finishing clinically with his left foot following a Milán Vitális assist. Ukraine poured forward in response and grabbed a deserved equaliser in the 83rd minute, Roman Yaremchuk powering home a header from Oleksandr Pikhalyonok's corner.

Just two minutes later, Hungary delivered the ultimate sucker punch. In the 85th minute, Rajmund Tóth whipped in a cross from the right, and centre-back Márk Csinger met it with a first-time left-footed finish past Anatoliy Trubin to seal the 2-1 win.

Pragmatism prevails as group standings shift

Hungary's clinical edge was laid bare by the match statistics. Despite Ukraine dominating 52.3% of possession and registering 17 shots, they only managed two on target. In contrast, Hungary needed just 10 attempts to test the keeper four times.

Marco Rossi's ultra-pragmatic approach allowed Hungary to weather the storm and secure three invaluable points. This victory saw Hungary avenge their reverse-fixture defeat and leapfrog their opponents into second place in Nations League Group B2.

Our Verdict

A gutsy victory in Slovakia was just reward for Hungary's pragmatism and clinical edge. The result blows the race for League A promotion wide open for Marco Rossi's men heading into the business end of the campaign.

Can Hungary hold onto second place and secure promotion to League A?