WC qualifier in Budapest, June 8, 1997 ====================================== Hungary - Norway 1-1 (1-1) Att: 30 000 0-1 Petter Rudi (9) 1-1 Zoltan Kovacs (22) Referee: David Elleray, England. Yellow card: Ferenc Orosz (12), Attila Kuttor (62), Hungary, Erik Mykland (37), Egil Østenstad (83), Norway. Line-ups -------- Hungary (3-5-2): Gabor Babos - Emil Lörincs - Janos Banfi, Attila Kuttor - Tibor Dombi, Laszlo Farkashazy, Tamas Sandor (Elek Nyilas from 79.), Gabor Halmai, Norbert Nagy (Zoltan Szlezak from 60.) - Ferenc Orosz (Attila Dragoner from 86.), Zoltan Kovacs. Norway (4-5-1): Frode Grodås - Alf-Inge Håland, Henning Berg, Ronny Johnsen, Stig Inge Bjørnebye - Petter Rudi, Erik Mykland (Jostein Flo from 66.), Kjetil Rekdal, Øyvind Leonhardsen (Ståle Solbakken from 76.), Frank Strandli - Tore André Flo (Egil Østenstad from 81.). Table ----- 08.06.97 Finland - Azerbaijan 3-0 Norway 5 3 2 0 11- 2 11 ------------------------------------- Finland 5 2 1 2 8- 6 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hungary 5 2 1 2 5- 5 7 Switzerland 4 2 0 2 4- 4 6 Azerbaijan 5 1 0 4 2-13 3 20.08.97 Finland - Norway 20.08.97 Hungary - Switzerland Match report ------------ After the win against Brazil expectations were high before this game, and it started very well. Flo could have scored after 30 seconds, but shot just wide. However after only 8 minutes, Rudi gave Norway the lead, knocking the ball into an empty net after the goalkeeper had missed out in a duel against Strandli. However the good times weren't to last long, because Hungary surprised Norway with their attacking football for the rest of the half. Not that it was unexpected that the home team would atack, but it was the way they attacked which caught Norway by surprise. Time after time they exploited the flanks with long diagonal crosses to the wings, which left the Norwegian backs chasing the Hungarian wingers. Nothing of the usual Eastern European slowly build-up with a lot of short passes was to be seen. Midway through the half they got their reward, when debutant Kovacs slid through both Johnsen and Berg and shot a powerful shot when clean through against Grodås. After the equalizer Hungary continued to attack, but fortunately they made some gross defensive mistakes as well, which also left Norway with several good chances and a very entertaining and atractive game for the neutrals. However, there was to no more goals in the half. In the second half the pattern of the play changed dramatically. Now, the play was calmer and more cautious, and the chances were far between. Norway gradually began to take control, and as the Hungarians faded, the visitors created some good chanes, especially when a Rudi volley was just saved by the goalkeeper. However, on the other side, Hungary launched some quick counter-attacks on their own, but failed to score, and the game ended after a couple of minutes of injury time 1-1. Based on the way the game developed, the single point was more like a point won than two lost for Norway, although a draw was a fair result. Now Hungary have little chance of winning the group, whereas Norway are still in command. Of the players, Rudi, Rekdal and Strandli were the best ones. Flo was nowhere to be seen after a bright start, and the four-man defense had a lot of difficulty with the fast Hungarians, though mainly in the first half. The next game for Norway will be in Helsinki on August 20. Three points from that game and France beckons, a draw and Norway will still be on a good run, whereas a defeat will leave the group wide open. At the same date Hungary take on Switzerland in Budapest in what looks to be a very important game in the battle for second place?