Hungary at Greece
UEFA Nations League C | Group 2
Friday, Oct. 12 | 1:45 p.m. CT | ESPN+
Olympic Stadium | Athens, Greece
Krisztian Nemeth has joined the Hungary Men’s National Team for the first time since March ahead of two UEFA Nations League away matches against Greece and Estonia. The first test beckons Friday as the Magyars travel to Olympic Stadium in Athens for an important duel against Euro 2004 champions Greece, streaming live on ESPN+ at 1:45 p.m. CT.
With four goals in 34 senior appearances for Hungary, Nemeth is no stranger to the international stage. His most recent Hungary goal came in a 3-2 friendly defeat to Kazakhstan on March 23, marking the first time he had scored for the Magyars since bagging a brace in a 4-3 win over — you guessed it — Greece in October 2015 when he was a member of — you guessed it — Sporting Kansas City.
Hungary currently occupies second place in Group 2 of UEFA Nations League C, level with Greece and three points behind leaders Finland. The four teams in the group will have played six matches by the end of November, and the first-place finisher will earn promotion to UEFA Nations League B in 2020-21. The last-place team will be relegated to League D, while the third-place side also faces possible relegation to League D for the next installment of the new, biennial tournament.
2018-19 UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE C: GROUP 2
<strong>#</strong> |
<strong>TEAM</strong> |
<strong>PTS</strong> |
<strong>W</strong> |
<strong>L</strong> |
<strong>T</strong> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GD</strong> |
1 |
Finland |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
+2 |
2 |
Hungary |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
Greece |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
Estonia |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
-2 |
Nemeth is one of seven forwards on a Hungary roster that boasts plenty of attacking depth. Leading the line is Hoffenheim striker Adam Szalai, whose 15 goals in 48 appearances are 11 more than any other player on head coach Marco Rossi’s roster. Szalai and midfielder Laszlo Kleinheisler propelled Hungary to a 2-1 UEFA Nations League win over Greece last month, their goals coming on either side of an equalizer from Roma center back Kostas Manolas.
These teams sit close in the latest FIFA rankings, with No. 42 Greece seven spots ahead of Hungary. The Greeks, who reached their historic pinnacle as champions of Euro 2004 in Portugal, will be seeking revenge for their defeat to the Magyars on Sept. 11 in Budapest—a game in which Sporting KC forward Daniel Salloi was an unused substitute.
With Hungary slated to visit Estonia on Monday, Nemeth will unlikely be available for Sporting KC’s forthcoming MLS match at Vancouver Whitecaps FC next Wednesday, Oct. 17.
Since beginning his second stint at Sporting KC in early August, Nemeth has started four of eight MLS appearances with a goal and an assist, helping the side to a 5-2-1 record during that time. He previously spent the 2015 campaign with Sporting KC, notching 16 goals and seven assists as Manager Peter Vermes’ men lifted the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title and advanced to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Hungary Roster
Goalkeepers (3): Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig), Denes Dibusz (Ferencvaros), David Grof (Honved)
Defenders (8): Tamas Kadar (Dynamo Kiev), Gergo Lovrencsics (Ferencvaros), Attila Fiola (MOL Vidi), Adam Lang (CFR Cluj), Barnabas Bese (Le Havre), Paulo Vinicius (MOL Vidi), Willi Orban (RB Leipzig), Botond Barath (Honved)
Midfielders (7): Adam Nagy (Bologna), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Astana), Mate Patkai (MOL Vidi), Zsolt Kalmar (Dunajska Streda), Istvan Kovacs (MOL Vidi), Dominik Nagy (Legia Warsaw), Gergo Nagy (Honved)
Forwards (7): Adam Szalai (Hoffenheim), Krisztian Nemeth (Sporting Kansas City), Roland Varga (Ferencvaros), Roland Sallai (Freiburg), Marton Eppel (Kairat), Adam Gyurcso (Hajduk Split), Filip Holender (Honved)
