Euro 2016: Feast for Hungary

Adam Szalai and Zoltan Stieber scored second-half goals as Hungary stunned highly-fancied Austria 2-0 in their Group ‘F’ opener in Bordeaux on Tuesday.

Austria, tipped as tournament dark horses, dominated the opening period but Szalai fired Hungary ahead on 62 minutes with Stieber wrapping up a shock victory over their old rivals late on in the 138th meeting between the sides.

Aleksandar Dragovic was sent off for Austria shortly after Szalai ended an 18-month goal drought as Hungary made a triumphant return to a major tournament having last featured at the 1986 World Cup.

“Unfortunately we weren’t able to do what we wanted today,” said Austria coach Marcel Koller.

Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly kept a clean sheet as he became the first 40-year-old to feature at the European Championship, surpassing Germany’s Lothar Matthaus as the oldest player in tournament history.

Austria captain Christian Fuchs and winger Martin Harnik were the only two survivors from the country’s debut campaign eight years ago named in Koller’s starting line-up.

Hungary grabbed a surprise lead just beyond the hour when Kleinheisler slipped in Szalai, who was played onside by Fuchs, with the powerful striker poking the ball underneath Almer for his first goal at any level since December 2014.

Austria appeared to have levelled when Martin Hinteregger rifled in from the edge of the area, but referee Clement Turpin disallowed the goal for a foul on Tamas Kadar with Dragovic dismissed for a second booking.

And Stieber triggered delirious celebrations when he raced from just inside the Austria half to beat Almer three minutes from time with a sublime chip as Hungary completed an upset.