Hungary for the World Cup (FIFA WC)

[thrashman]

The Hungarian national football team is hoping to qualify for the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa and end a World Cup drought that dates back 24 years to their last apperance in Mexico during 1986. Not many expect the Hungarians to to make it to South Africa though as their qualifying stage group contains notable clubs Portugal, Denmark, and Sweden.

The team does have a handful of of players from some of Europe's top leagues, most notably captain Zoltan Gera of Fulham in the English Premier League but Dutch head coach Erwin Koeman will have to find some magic in this club to restore a once proud tradition that had earned the club the nickname the Magical Magyars in the 1950s.

[thrashman]

QUALIFICATION

EUROPE - GROUP A

ALBANIA - Rnk. 100
DENMARK - Rnk. 40
HUNGARY - Rnk. 56
MALTA - Rnk. 126
PORTUGAL - Rnk. 9
SWEDEN - Rnk. 29

[thrashman]

UPCOMING MATCH

FRIENDLY

August 20, 2008

at

CYPRUS

World Rank: 67

[BZito75]

rough group with Portugal... good luck im following

[Lecrae]

I see what you did there lol

Hungary used to be rather dominant with there formations, it will be interesting to see how they do virtually. I think I see a 2-1-2 record in your group stage,better hope Malta and Albania pull some upsets or at least tie the other 3.

[thrashman]

Quote: Originally Posted by BZito75

rough group with Portugal... good luck im following

Yeah, I was thinking I would have at least one big power in my group but this is tougher than I expected when looking at some of the other groups.

Thanks for following.

Quote: Originally Posted by Lecrae

I see what you did there lol Hungary used to be rather dominant with there formations, it will be interesting to see how they do virtually. I think I see a 2-1-2 record in your group stage,better hope Malta and Albania pull some upsets or at least tie the other 3

Yeah, I will need a miracle to make it out of this.

[thrashman]

Cyprus will have a hard time forgetting Sandor Torghelle's performance.

HUNGARY ROLLS CYPRUS BEHIND 4 TORGHELLE GOALS

It may have been a friendly, but there was nothing friendly about the way Hungary came out and pounded Cyprus in front of their home fans in Lornaca. Separated by only 9 spots in the FIFA World Rankings, this match looked to be fairly even, but by the time things were over the Hungarians had rolled to a 4-1 win and Sandor Torghelle had sent a resounding message to future opposition by scoring all 4 goals for Hungary.

Perhaps Cyprus should have known it was not their day when only 2 minutes into the match, Chrysostomos Michael was booked with a yellow card following a rough tackle. Hungary nearly struck only a minute later when Tamas Hajnal's curling cross into the box was sent wide over the crossbar by Laszlo Bodnar. Not to worry for the Hungarians, as in the 5th minute Torghelle finished off another Hajnal cross with a lunging header that sent both him and the ball into the net.

Cyprus did fight back quickly though and had a chance for a good strike from the top of the box in the 7th minute, but the shot by Alexandros Garpozis deflected off the inside of Hungary defender Vilmos Vanczak's thigh and flubbed harmlessly to keeper Marton Fulop.

Hungary made the score 2-0 in the 24th minute when Balazs Dzsudzsak sent a through ball up the middle of the pitch springing Torghelle who battled with Stathis Aloneftis as he charged toward goal. Torghelle was pushed off the ball as he entered the box and the chance seemed lost but Aloneftis inexplicably, perhaps trying to knock the ball to keeper Antonis Georgallidis, gave up possesion and Torghelle regained control, spun and fired a shot inside the left post.

Still undeterred, Cyprus would control the next twenty minutes of play and almost converted on more than one occasion. In the 31st minute Michalis Konstantinou delivered a booming right foot strike that Fulop saved only with his left hand fingertips. That shot resulted in a corner kick that eventually forced a free kick just outside of the box in the 33rd minute. Again Konstantinou was the shooter and this time his blast rung off the top crossbar for another near miss. Finally, just two more minutes later in the 35th minute, Konstantinou showed himself to be just off as his header off a corner kick went straight into Fulop's hands. Cyprus' final chance of the half saw a cross into the box by Aloneftis punched out by the goalkeeper Fulop where Konstantinos Makridis pounced with a header that sailed over the net in the 41st minute.

After such determined play, Cyprus looked to be back on track and poised for a second half charge, but those hopes were dashed just one minute before the break when Szabolcs Huszti sent a through ball to Dzsudzsak who got near the back line before whipping a cross to the top of the box which was struck with authority by Huszti. Defender Paraskevas Christou knocked this dangerous strike down, but the ever-present Torghelle pounced on the chance and smashed a jumping strike into the net for a 44th minute heartbreaker.

More disappointment for Cyprus would come in the 48th minute when a precise strike by Konstantinou off a cross from Aloneftis was called a no goal because of offsides. This was followed by another great chance by Konstantinou that was stopped by a Fulop left leg.

Hungary's Dzsudszsak found himself also unlucky when his shot from the left side of the box was saved by a diving Georgallidis at the near post in the 64th minute.

Michael's header in the 73rd minute as a result of a failed clearance by Hungary off of a Cyprus throw in was also thwarted by a diving save near the left post, and a free kick by Elias Charalambous in the 77th minute flew just above the crossbar.

The incredible 4th goal by Torghelle came when Hajnal sent yet another cross the length of the box from his far right position while Torghelle was positioned by the left post and ready to take advantage with a header he converted in th 80th minute. Clearly this was a magical day for the 28-year-old striker as seemingly everything he touched found the back of the net.

Cyprus saw another chance fail in the 81st minute before substitute Andreas Papathanasiou finally got them on the board in the 89th minute when he converted a cross from Ioannis Okkas with an accurate header. This may have ruined Hungary's clean sheat but it was clearly too late to make a difference or to dampen such a big occasion as was Torghelle's 4 goal masterpiece.

[hockeyplaya2724]

Thrashman doing a soccer dynasty? I like the sound of it

Good job beating Cyprus, hopefully you can advance.