Sporting Kansas City defender Botond Barath and the Hungary Men's National Team fell just short of automatic qualification to UEFA Euro 2020 with a 2-0 road defeat to Wales on Tuesday at Cardiff City Stadium.
Hungary entered the Group E finale occupying second place, but Tuesday's setback saw Wales supplant the Magyars and join Croatia as automatic qualifiers to UEFA Euro 2020 next summer.
Barath started and played 90 minutes in central defense, earning his 11th career cap at the senior level, as the Welsh capital played host to a high-stakes encounter in which the winner would seal a Euro 2020 berth on the final day of qualifying. Wales were ultimately too much to handle, striking in either half through Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey to clinch their second straight appearance at the European Championship.
Hungary finishes in fourth place in Group E with the result, but hope isn't lost on advancing to next summer's Euro tournament. The Magyars have now been placed into the Euro 2020 qualifying playoffs, which will take place during the March FIFA window next spring.
The draw for the Euro 2020 qualifying playoffs will take place on Friday, dividing 16 European nations in to four brackets of four teams. The winners of each bracket will take the final four berths to Euro 2020, which will unfold in 12 cities across 12 different countries from June 12 to July 12. Barath and Hungary will be joined in the playoff draw by Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell and Scotland.
