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Late drama as Adam Idah ensures Ireland avoid opening defeat against Hungary

Updated / Saturday, 6 Sep 2025 23:39
Republic of Ireland substitute Adam Idah wheels away after his injury-time equaliser
Republic of Ireland substitute Adam Idah wheels away after his injury-time equaliser

The Republic of Ireland had to fight back from a two-goal deficit to ensure that their World Cup qualifying campaign did not come a cropper on the opening night as they drew 2-2 with Hungary at Aviva Stadium.

Heimir Hallgrimsson's side were caught cold in the third minute of the contest as Barnabas Varga slammed home the opener. And it got worse for Ireland in the 16th minute as Roland Sallai found the back of the net with a brilliant near-post header.

The home side powered back in the second half and reduced the gap shortly after the restart thanks to Evan Ferguson’s close-range effort.

The visitors were reduced to ten men as Sallai was sent off in the 53rd minute, which would eventually set up a grandstand finish, with Adam Idah sprung off the bench to level matters in injury time.

It took less than two minutes to spark Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign into life, however, it was not the start that the home side wanted, nor expected, as a fearless Hungary side took an early lead.

The visitors worked a throw-in from the right, all the way unchallenged to the left flank, where Sallai had time to cut back and work an inswinger in from the left.

The delivery was only half cleared by Matt Doherty and it broke kindly for Callum Styles on the edge, who cleverly clipped it through to put Varga in on goal, with O’Shea slow to react.

A clinical first-time effort to slap the ball past Caoimhín Kelleher from close range, and no question of the goal being ruled out offside as Doherty was late getting out as the ball was played back in.

There was little reaction from the shell-shocked home side, and it took ten minutes before Ireland could create anything inside the Hungary half.

At least, there was intent from the Irish as Ferguson found space on the right to run onto the ball before whipping a great pass into the path of the arriving Finn Azaz.

The Southampton man hit it first time but was unable to direct his effort goalwards. Likewise, Sammie Szmodics sliced another wide a minute later.

But it was Hungary who remained in the ascendancy, and they could, and should, have made it two in the 13th minute as Milos Kerkez found space down the left, before whipping an inch-perfect delivery onto the head of the arriving Varga.

A close-range header, it looked like Varga just needed to work the ball on target, however, he failed to connect cleanly, and it hopped wide of the near post.

But just two minutes later, the second goal arrived, and again Ireland were unable to deal with the quality of ball into the box, this time from a Dominik Szoboszlai corner, as Sallai left Collins rooted to the spot as he rose highest to guide a perfect header into the far corner, with Kelleher diving full stretch, but not getting close to stopping it.

Still nothing of note from the home side as Styles was next to try his luck at the Ireland goal, however, his shot from outside the box flew wide.

Cullen’s clash of heads with Styles drew a free from the German referee, and it irked the crowd as the replays went out on the big screen showing that there was nothing out of place from the midfielder’s action.

Herr Harm Osmers was giving little to the Irish, and when he finally cautioned Szoboszlai a few minutes later, for a tug on Jason Knight, the ironic cheers and more jeers were aimed at the whistler.

It was a thoroughly professional performance from Hungary by this stage, happy to kill the tempo on any occasion, most content with their two-goal advantage with just 30 minutes on the clock.

Ireland had to begin again, but there was no sign where the spark might come from, and a Doherty snap-shot, dragged wide from outside the box in the 37th minute, was symptomatic of the performance thus far.

But perhaps it was the start, as Ireland enjoyed a spell inside the final third, with the Wolves man again getting in the right areas, albeit without being able to direct a back-post header on target.

Hungary would have one more chance as half-time approached, with Kelleher forced to get down well to stop a close-range Sallai effort, while Ireland finally responded with a moment of individual strength and composure, as Ferguson worked the ball away from his marker and struck a fine effort that required a decent save from Denes Dibusz, who had been largely untroubled.

Overall, a first-half of frustration for the Ireland team, with the home side unable to adhere to the principles of their approach and would need to perform much better in the second half to attempt to get back into this contest.

Whatever was said in the inner sanctum of the dressing room had the desired effect as Ireland pulled one back within three minutes of the restart.

Knight burst forward and sent Ferguson racing goalwards, however, the striker was chopped down about ten yards outside the box.

A thumping free-kick would do the damage, as the keeper flapped at Manning’s whipped effort and palmed it onto the head of Szmodics, who worked it across the face, with Collins helping it into the path of Ferguson.

The striker still had to get the ball under control, and did well, under pressure, to bundle the ball home.

The obligatory VAR goal check, perhaps, for Collins’ robust arrival into the six-yard box, but it was cleared and the goal was notched up to the raucous shouts and screams of the fervent home support.

And the decibels level was ratcheted up considerably as Sallai got his marching orders two minutes later.

The goalscorer raked his studs down the back of Dara O’Shea’s Achilles and it was a straight red from the ref who was close by.

The goalscorer hung around hoping for a VAR reprieve, but it would not arrive, and Hungary would have to defend their lead with ten men for the guts of 40 minutes.

The subsequent set-piece, naturally, flung into the mix and the visitors were certainly rattled, although Jake O’Brien could not work the ball on target.

But Hungary still looked dangerous in attack and a burst forward from Bendeguz Bolla led to a well-hit low strike across goal, which Kelleher was equal to. Another mazy run forward from Szoboszlai offered Bolla a second chance, but this time his curling effort went wide.

In the 59th minute, Manning came close with a well-timed header, latching onto a long ball in from the right, and while it went wide, it led to a yellow card for the keeper who was done for wasting time.

Despite the extra man, Hungary looked dangerous with every attack and there were gaps through the middle which were all-too-easily exploited. Kelleher called into action once again from Bolla.

Another chance for Ireland in the 72nd minute as substitute Chiedozie Ogbene rose well to help it across for Azaz, whose close-range header was brilliantly clawed away by the keeper.

But Ireland kept coming, and Ogbene was next to hit the target, but again Dibusz was keeping his side in control of the tie.

Manning’s 81st-minute free was well saved by Dibusz, and it was clear by now that Hungary were ready to sit in and look to see this one out, but there was still plenty of time for Ireland to change the conversation.

And while the clock ticked past 90 minutes, the six minutes of additional time offered hope, and it would arrive in the guise of an Adam Idah header.

Ireland finally showed some composure around the box, and the ball was worked to Manning in space on the left edge. The quality of the cross would make things simple for the striker who powered it through the keeper to level the contest.

O’Shea offered a last attempt as Ireland looked to snatch it at the death, however, time would eventually run out and the points were shared – a fair result in this veritable game of two halves.

Republic of Ireland: Caoimhin Kelleher; Matt Doherty (Chiedozie Ogbene 66), Dara O'Shea, Nathan Collins (capt), Jake O'Brien; Josh Cullen (Jack Taylor 66), Jason Knight (Kasey McAteer 90), Finn Azaz (Adam Idah 78); Sammie Szmodics (Mikey Johnston 78), Ryan Manning, Evan Ferguson,

Hungary: Denes Dibusz; Attila Szalai, Willi Orbán, Loic Négo, Milos Kerkez (Zsolt Nagy 80); Callum Styles, Bendeguz Bolla (Attila Mocsi 67), Roland Sallai, Alex Toth (Bence Otvos 55), Dominik Szoboszlai (capt), Barnabas Varga (Barna Tóth 80)

Referee: Harm Osmers (GER)

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