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EURO 2016 adventure over for Szalai against Belgium
It was Hungary’s first knockout game in 44 years. Szalai started the game, in which he and his teammates were put under pressure by the favourites Belgium from the beginning. Belgium carved out two good opportunities in the opening minutes and opened the scoring with their third chance in the 10th minute. The Red Devils dominated the game and Hungary keeper Kiraly regularly showed his class. Hungary threatened twice before the break – first, Lovrencsics missed by centimetres, then Dzsudzsák.
Szalai had his side’s first real chance in the second 45 with his right-footed effort flying just wide. The TSG player also had the next opportunity but his header missed the target. Hungary kept pressing to try and get the equaliser and saw Juhasz’s stab wide of the post after a free-kick.
But as is so often the case in football, Hungary pushed forward and were then exposed at the back twice in the space of two minutes. Batshuayi and Hazard settled the game with their goals in the 78th and 80th minutes. Carrasco netted a fourth in added time. Belgium are therefore through to the quarterfinals.
