BUDAPEST • The signs were there after Croatia got their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign off to a shaky start with a "more difficult than expected" home win over minnows Azerbaijan last Friday.
And those same bundle of nerves were again on display as Hungary ran out deserving 2-1 winners against the World Cup finalists in their Group E meeting in Budapest on Sunday.
The Hungarians have been somewhat of a bogey team for the away side, who have yet to beat them in four games since 2004, and after slipping to a third straight defeat on their travels, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic admitted "it was not going to be easy, as against Croatia, everyone plays 200mph".
He said: "I congratulate Hungary on the victory, aggression and fight. We were not creative. It was not good in attack until (Josip) Brekalo came on and gave us width.
"We knew it would be difficult in this qualifying group. We brought on another striker (in Bruno Petkovic) and played three at the back, but nothing.
"This is not a tragedy, we are the World Cup runners-up but lost."
Dalic's men took an early lead at the Groupama Arena through Ante Rebic after 13 minutes, but a lack of defensive organisation allowed Adam Szalai to draw Hungary level 20 minutes later.
Mate Patkai then scored the winner - his first international goal - from a corner in the 76th minute to condemn Croatia to fourth place in the group.
Earlier, Daniel James netted his first international strike on his competitive debut as Wales edged out Slovakia 1-0 at home.
Ryan Giggs' players will visit Croatia in their next qualifier on June 8.
Elsewhere, Eden Hazard marked his 100th cap with an early goal to set Belgium on their way to an easy 2-0 Group I win in Cyprus, with Michy Batshuayi getting the other.
Poland made it two wins out of two after second-half goals by Robert Lewandowski and Kamil Glik gave them a 2-0 home victory over Latvia in Group G.
REUTERS, THE GUARDIAN
Man City beat Liverpool 2-1, cut lead to four points Sadio Mane hit post for Liverpool in the 18th minute Sergio Aguero put City ahead with fierce strike from tight angle Roberto Firmino headed Liverpool level in 64th City restored lead eight minutes later through Leroy Sane Both keepers busy in latter stages of fierce contest City host Wolves next, Liverpool […]
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02/09/2019 Comments Off on Qatar's Asian Cup heroes rewarded with lavish gifts •DOHA • These are heady times for the Qatar national football team. On the back of winning their first Asian Cup last Friday, Felix Sanchez's men have risen 38 places to 55th in the latest Fifa world rankings released yesterday.
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Injuries open way for Sanchez and Lukaku to shine for United . 26th February 2019 Football, Sport. By AFP "They've been part of our training for a long time now," said Solskjaer.
Injuries open way for Sanchez and Lukaku to shine for United
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Injuries open way for Sanchez and Lukaku to shine for United. is confident Sanchez and Lukaku have the quality to impress if given a sustained run in the team. Sorry but the period of time
Injuries open way for Sanchez and Lukaku to shine for United
DUBAI, Jan 16 (Reuters) - FIFA says it has been in regular contact with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over the Bahraini refugee soccer player arrested in Thailand in November over a
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Klopp calm for the run-in LONDON • The Premier League title race is the most competitive it has been for years, but Jurgen Klopp is not having a "heart attack" whenever he hears nearest challengers Manchester City have won.
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A match-fixing probe in Spain is focussing on current and former La Liga footballers as well as club presidents and managers, say police.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer misses out on history as Manchester United's winning run comes to an end. and then stung United at the start of the second half. with Solskjaer taking off Pereira
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The Wallabies now head to Argentina with their coach, Michael Cheika, also blaming missed chances for the defeat, but conceding there were areas in which they were outplayed. "We didn't manage the physical contest, but we still managed to create opportunities. But we just didn't take them," said Cheika.
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