Hungary 1-3 Switzerland: Dominant Switzerland fight off late pressure to take all three points

An imposing Switzerland fought off a late fight-back to take three points from Hungary and join Germany at the top of Group A.

Goals from Kwadwo Duah, Michel Aebischer and Breel Embolo rounded out an impressive Swiss victory, leaving Hungary with no points and at the mercy of a clash with Germany next week.

As it happened

In what was supposed to be a jousting match, there was only one dark horse which turned up on time. Hungary, who promised so much heading into the EUROs, were virtually anonymous for too much of the match, and Switzerland took full advantage.

There really was only one side in it in the first half. Switzerland were composed and dominant, with a plan to maintain the ball and bait the Hungarian press. Hungary, on the other hand, were reckless, rash and… well, baited.

It didn’t take long, then, for Switzerland to make their mark – but it wasn’t who you might’ve expected. Kwadwo Duah had only played 45 minutes of international football before today. In that game, a 4-0 win over Estonia, he was toothless; against Hungary, he sharpened his fangs.

Michel Aebischer found space in the middle of the park and played a teasing ball through the heart of the Hungarian defence. Duah latched onto it and slipped his effort past a helpless Péter Gulácsi for 1-0 – but his joy wasn’t immediate. The linesman’s flag first dampened spirits, before the revelation that is semi-automated offside technology reignited the spark; the Ludogorets man was onside, and Switzerland led.

Would Hungary fight back? Not quite. Not yet, anyway. Switzerland kept 62% of the ball in the first half and, wasted set pieces from Dominik Szoboszlai aside, they had no answer. Typical midfield stalwart Adam Nagy saw virtually none of the ball, and his side were incoherent without his input.

It was a shame for Hungary, then, that Nagy’s opposite man was the metronome he couldn’t be. As he has been for the last nine months, Granit Xhaka was simply imperious. He’s only lost twice in the last year, and he wasn’t going to allow a third defeat today. Every pass was meticulously played with frightening accuracy and incisiveness. Nothing was wasted. Everything was purposeful, and the Swiss clock ticked with him at the heart.

No surprise that they’d make it two before the break, then. Michel Aebischer, the man who set up Duah’s opener, was to score his maiden international goal too. After picking up the ball just outside the penalty area, the defence backed off and backed off further, allowing him the space to curl a wonderful effort right into the far-right corner. Gulácsi was helpless again and Switzerland were two to the good right before half time.

Come the second half, things weren’t too much better for Marco Rossi’s side at first. Chances were limited; free kicks were mis-hit or lazily attacked, and any other shots on goal were inevitably ruled offside before a Swiss heart could even begin to stop. Switzerland were cohesive, measured and unified; Hungary were disjointed, individualistic, and really quite abject.

But, come the hour mark, they finally found their feet. Their first big chance came in the 64^th minute; Roland Sallai whipped a wonderful ball into the area, but Barnabás Varga – with acres of space in the middle – could only force a header agonisingly wide.

He was only going to make that mistake once, though; two minutes later, he’d get his goal. With Szoboszlai the provider this time, Varga stooped low to nod home his tremendous teasing cross from point blank range. Jan Sommer, who looked so imperious at first, really had no chance.

Then, just like that, everything changed. One goal was all Hungary needed, and from then on, they banged and banged at the Swiss door, which at times looked rather fragile. More than once, cheap possessive errors in and around their own penalty area made rods for their own backs. Roland Sallai and substitute Martin Ádám tested the waters, but Switzerland were just about able to hold on.

In truth, there was a real role reversal. All the qualities which made Murat Yakin’s side so superior in the first half were absent for much of the second half. It was Switzerland who couldn’t keep the ball, Switzerland who gave cheap turnovers and Switzerland who were on the back foot. You’d never guess, without knowing, that this was the same side which dominated the first 45 minutes.

Come full time, though, Hungary’s efforts were in vain and then some. They grew into the game a tad too slowly to make up for their first half shortcomings, and that elusive equaliser couldn’t be found. In fact, it was Switzerland who would have the very last laugh.

Sommer launched the ball up the pitch in the 93^rd minute, and Willi Orban made a mess of his defensive header, nodding it in the direction of substitute Breel Embolo. Having only played 180 minutes of football last season and benched today in favour of Duah, Embolo would’ve been forgiven for losing his confidence. Not to worry, though. With the loose ball attacked, he had the self-assuredness to dink it over an onrushing Gulácsi to seal the deal.

Three goals meant three points, and Hungary’s game was lost.

There were plenty of positives for both sides, and Switzerland will be more than ready to bring the game to Scotland on Wednesday. They started well and, despite letting their standards drop, they didn’t just see the game over the line, but extend their tally too.

And, while Hungary may have lost, they showed real improvement as the game progressed, but a matchup against a Germany side which so ruthlessly dispatched Scotland would send the shudder down the side of a winning team, let alone one which couldn’t convert pressure to points.

So, Group A remains finely poised, but it’s Switzerland making early strides to the round of 16.

The lineups

HUN: Gulácsi; Kerkez, Szalai, Orban, Lang, Fiola; Schäfer, Nagy; Szoboszlai, Sallai, Varga

SUI: Sommer; Aebischer, Rodríguez, Akanji, Schär, Widmer; Freuler, Xhaka; Vargas, Ndoye, Duah