Hungary Saved by Last-Minute Penalty Goal Against Germany
Germany’s start to the match was far from ideal, as they left out some of their experienced players. In the first half, they seemed out of sorts and unfamiliar. However, after the break, the four-time World Cup champions came alive and took control of the match. Despite their dominance, Germany couldn’t finish the job, and Hungary managed to equalize in the final moments of the game.
The UEFA Nations League match ended in a 1-1 draw at Budapest’s Puskás Arena on Tuesday night. After Germany took the lead through a goal by Felix Mecha, Hungary equalized with a strike from Dominik Szoboszlai.
Germany had started the tournament with a dominant 5-0 win over Hungary, but this time, even with a lead, they couldn’t maintain their winning streak under coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Germany finished the group stage with four wins and two draws, totaling 14 points from six matches.
Meanwhile, in a concurrent match, the Netherlands drew in Bosnia, securing 9 points to finish as group runners-up and advancing to the final eight. Hungary, with 6 points, will play in the relegation play-off, while Bosnia, already relegated, ended at the bottom with 2 points.
With qualification already secured, Germany made several changes to their lineup, affecting their performance. Despite this, Hungary was the first to create a significant chance, but Germany’s second-choice goalkeeper, Alexander Nübel, saved András Schäfer’s shot.
Germany then launched a counterattack, but Hungary had another clear opportunity in the 39th minute, with midfielder Zoltán Nagy failing to beat the goalkeeper one-on-one.
In the second half, Germany had their first shot on target in the 50th minute, but Robin Gosens was unable to score. They came close in the 63rd minute when Kai Havertz’s shot hit the post.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 76th minute. From a corner, Nico Schlotterbeck’s header was blocked by the goalkeeper, but the rebound was bundled into the net by Felix Mecha, who scored his first goal for Germany.
With time ticking away, Germany seemed poised for a win, but in the final minute of stoppage time, the referee awarded Hungary a penalty after a handball by Germany’s Robin in the box, confirmed by VAR. Dominik Szoboszlai then calmly converted the penalty with a Panenka to level the score, leaving the match tied at 1-1.
