On the early morning of June 24, the third round of Group A matches in the European Championship kicked off. While Germany and Switzerland battled for the group’s top spot, Hungary faced Scotland in a crucial match to secure the third position and keep their chances of advancing alive.
Heading into the game, Hungary had lost 1-2 to Switzerland and then 0-2 to host Germany, leaving them at the bottom of the group with zero points. Scotland, on the other hand, had suffered a 1-5 defeat to Germany in their opener and drew 1-1 with Switzerland, securing just one point. Although after the expansion of the tournament, the four best third-placed teams could qualify for the Round of 16, previous editions saw Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, advance as group third-placers and eventually win the title in 2016.
With two rounds down and only one point for Scotland, and none for Hungary, both teams needed a victory, as a draw would hold no value or significance.
The match featured several top talents, with Hungary boasting Szoboszlai, while Scotland counted on players like McTominay, Robertson, McGinn, and Adams from the English Premier League. However, the match was mostly a tactical battle with few clear-cut opportunities.
In the 69th minute, a worrying incident occurred when Hungarian forward Varga was punched in the face by the Scottish goalkeeper during a challenge, resulting in him collapsing and being stretchered off the pitch.
In the 92nd minute, Hungary nearly broke the deadlock as Szoboszlai’s counterattack pass found Szobos on the right, who fired a shot from a tight angle that hit the post despite the goalkeeper’s effort. In the 97th minute, Hanley had a chance to end the match, but Gulácsi made an incredible save to deny his close-range effort, seemingly sending the match towards a goalless draw and elimination for both sides.
But in the 100th minute, a remarkable turn of events unfolded. Scotland’s attack was thwarted, and Hungary launched a swift counterattack. Szoboszlai played a pass to Roland Sallai on the right, who crossed back into the box, where Szobos arrived perfectly to calmly slot the ball into the far corner, sealing a last-gasp victory for Hungary.
With this goal, Hungary dramatically secured three points, overtaking Scotland to claim third place and keeping their qualification hopes alive. Scotland, now at the bottom with one point, were eliminated from the competition.
Szoboszlai’s goal, coming in the 10th minute of stoppage time, surpassed the record set by Mamaradze in Turkey’s 3-1 victory over Georgia in the first round, which saw a goal scored in the 97th minute. The 24-year-old, who plays for Hungarian club Ferencváros, etched his name into European Championship history, giving the world-ranked 27th Hungary a glimmer of hope for advancement. After scoring, Szobos immediately displayed Varga’s shirt in a show of support for his injured teammate.