3 weeks ago
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Dominik Szoboszlai was Hungary’s hero as he kept his country’s slim World Cup hopes alive, and left Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal frustrated in the process.
The Liverpool midfielder struck in stoppage time to earn his side a 2-2 draw and cap off a captain’s performance, having also bagged an assist for Hungary’s opener in Lisbon.
Attila Szalai turned Szoboszlai’s corner home to give the visitors an early lead, but Ronaldo struck twice before the break to put Portugal on course to reach next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. A win would have left Roberto Martinez’s side with an unassailable lead at the top of Group F in European qualifying.
Just as the clock ticked past the 90 minutes though, Hungary found its equalizer, with Szoboszlai popping up at the back post to earn his side what could prove to be a crucial point.
The goal sparked wild celebrations from the visitors, with Hungary's players and members of the bench mobbing an ecstatic Szoboszlai in the corner as stunned Portuguese fans watched on.
Hungary still sits five points behind Portugal with just two games remaining. That means Szoboszlai and his teammates still have a chance of overhauling the group leaders, although it would require them winning their remaining games and hoping Portugal loses its last couple of fixtures.
More importantly though, the draw leaves Hungary second in the group, a point ahead of the Republic of Ireland and two ahead of Armenia, meaning it sits in pole position to secure a place in the play-offs.
Szoboszlai’s Liverpool teammate Milos Kerkez also played in Lisbon, with the left-back completing 79 minutes before being substituted.
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Elsewhere, it was a tough night for Giorgi Mamardashvili as Georgia suffered a 4-1 defeat in Turkey.
It means the Liverpool goalkeeper’s hopes of reaching next year’s tournament are all but over, with Georgia having taken just three points from its four qualifiers so far, and needing to win both of its remaining games and hope Turkey loses both of its fixtures just to reach the play-offs.
Liverpool.com says: A great night for Szoboszlai and Hungary. The midfielder has been one of the few Liverpool players who has started the season well, and hopefully that goal will give him even more confidence as he returns to Merseyside this week.
And let's hope that defeat doesn't knock Mamardashvili's confidence too much, with the keeper likely to be needed for a little while longer as he deputizes for Alisson Becker.
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