World Soccer - UK (2020-12)

Play-off finals

Nick Bidwelltakes a look at the teams hoping to

qualify for next summer’s European Championship

Overview
This clash of the Magyars and the
Norsemen represents a date with
destiny for both combatants. Hungary,
once a world football power in the
1950s and ’60s before enduring three
decades in the wilderness, have their
sights set on reaching what will only
be their fourth European Championship
(previous participations in1964,1972
and 2016). Iceland, until recently
international also-rans, are striving to
appear in their third consecutive major
tournament after Euro 2016 and the
2018 World Cup. Hungary have an extra
incentive to prevail. Should they go
forward, they will host two Euro 2020
group phase matches in their Budapest
backyard.
Each team features one totally

indispensable figure. In the cherry red

Hungarian corner, RB Leipzig keeper

Peter Gulacsi, rated one of the best

custodians in the Bundesliga and always

an exceptional shot-blocker. On the

opposite side of the ring, Iceland

playmaker, Gylfi Sigurdsson, who in

an unaccustomed second striker role,

scored both his country’s goals in the

2-1 victory over Romania in the play-off

semi-final. Hungary must take extra

care when the Everton attacking

midfielder is wthin shooting range.

Key battle

A potentially vital match-up will involve

Iceland’s right-back Victor Palsson and

up-and-coming Hungarian attacking

midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who

missed the semi-final (the Magyars’

3-1 win in Bulgaria) due to COVID-19

quarantine issues at his club Red Bull

Salzburg. The latter often ends up

drifting to the left, where he can run

riot with quick feet and improvisational

skills. The onus will be on the warrior-

like Palsson to shut down this particular

supply line. Interestingly, Palsson has

little experience at full-back, normally

operating as a defensive midfielder for

his second tier German club Darmstadt.

Talking point

Neither side are what one might term

the complete package. For all of their

vast experience and toughness, the

long-serving Icelandic centre-back

pairing of Kari Arnason, 38, and Ragnar

Sigurdsson, 34, are clearly not the most

mobile. As for Hungary, their number

one problem is at the point of attack,

where skipper Adam Szalai appears to

be on borrowed time, too cumbersome

and slow. Szalai, only a second-stringer

at his German side Mainz, has been in

dispute with his club over wage payments

and recently was suspended.

Hungary v Iceland

EURO 2020 PLAY-OFFS PREVIEW | PATH A

Returning...Hungary’s

Dominik Szoboszlai

Match-winner...

Sigurdsson scores at

the 2018 World Cup