World Cup qualifier: Armenia 0 Hungary 1 (Varga 33)
Hungary are a step closer to securing a spot in the playoffs for next year’s World Cup, beating Armenia 1-0 in their penultimate Group F qualifier in Yerevan.
Barnabás Varga offered up the match winner, captain Dominik Szoboszlai supplying the assist for the Ferencváros centre-forward’s strike.
The win for Marco Rossi’s team represents a blow to Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament, leaving Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side in need of at least a draw against Portugal from their game in Dublin if they are to be in with a chance of earning a second-place group finish with only the away trip to Hungary remaining.
Bottom of the group with just three points, a win for Armenia would have seen them leapfrog into the coveted second-place spot behind Portugal.
RM Block
However, Varga’s 33rd-minute header extinguished any chance of such a turnaround, Hungary’s win spelling a definite end to Armenia’s chances of making it out of the group.
Hungary sit second on eight points heading into Sunday’s game against Ireland in Budapest, while Armenia must endure a trip to Porto to play Portugal.
ARMENIA: Avagyan; Piloyan, Muradyan, Mkrtchyan, Tiknizyan; Hovhannisyan (Nalbandyan 77), Muradyan (Aghasaryan 90), Spertsyan (capt); Sevikyan (Eloyan 77), Ranos (Serobyan 76), Shaghoyan (Grigoryan 69).
HUNGARY: Dibusz; Négo, Orbán, Szalai, Kerkez (Nagy 86); Schafer, Styles (Vitális 71), Szoboszlai (capt); Bolla (Lukács 61), Varga, Sallai (Tóth 71).
Referee: José María Sánchez Martínez (Spain)
