Germany travel to the 2004 European championships on a flat note after an inexperienced Hungary side triumphed 2-0 in Kaiserslautern on Sunday. It was a match to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1954 World Cup final, when Germany defeated Hungary 3-2 in Bern, but the tables were turned with German legend Lothar Matthäus, capped a record 150 times by his country, inspiring Hungary to a famous victory.
The 36,590 fans at the Fritz-Walter Stadium expected Germany to
take the game to the inexperienced Hungarians - with eight of the
starting 11 with less than 10 caps to their name - but with 120
seconds gone Hungary almost took the lead. Sandor Torghelle, 22, powered down on goal after a straight ball down the middle caught the hosts out and a great reflex stop was needed from Oliver Kahn.
But on seven minutes Kahn was helpless as Torghelle made amends
leaving Christian Wörns flat-footed with a swift turn and firing a
fierce shot past Kahn. "Our concentration was poor and we got punished," said German team manager Rudi Völler. "But our future is by no means bleak and I am sure we will perform well in Portugal. You want to win every game but we have to think about next week."
Germany looked at their most dangerous whipping balls into the
penalty area - clearly the Achilles heel of Hungary - with a
Philipp Lahm centre missed by two onrushing German attackers. With 31 minutes on the clock Michael Ballack, a favourite at this stadium from his formative years at Kaiserslautern, fell to
the ground in search of a penalty but English referee Steve Benett
waved play on and it proved costly for the hosts.
Hungary launched a blitz counter attack and Torghelle controlled
a diagonal ball on his chest before dinking an effort over Kahn. Dutch strikers Roy Makaay, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Patrick Kluivert will be watching the wayward German marking with interest
as Holland meet Germany on June 15 in Oporto.
Völler hauled off Kaiserslautern's Miroslav Klose and Andreas Hinkel in the interval replacing them with Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, making his debut, and Hannover striker Thomas Bradric.
After a stern talking to Germany came out with fire in their
bellies and almost halved their deficit when Bernd Schneider's
cross found Fredi Bobic but the marksman's extravagant flick went
narrowly wide of the goal. On the hour mark Hungary captain Zoltan Gera almost made it 3-0 but his outstreched boot failed to connect with a cross from the right. Schweinsteiger and Bradric both should have scored late on but Hungary held on for a famous win.
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[bild1]Germany travel to the 2004 European championships on a flat note after an inexperienced Hungary side triumphed 2-0 in Kaiserslautern on Sunday. It was a match to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1954 World Cup final, when Germany defeated Hungary 3-2 in Bern, but the tables were turned with German legend Lothar Matthäus, capped a record 150 times by his country, inspiring Hungary to a famous victory.
The 36,590 fans at the Fritz-Walter Stadium expected Germany to
take the game to the inexperienced Hungarians - with eight of the
starting 11 with less than 10 caps to their name - but with 120
seconds gone Hungary almost took the lead. Sandor Torghelle, 22, powered down on goal after a straight ball down the middle caught the hosts out and a great reflex stop was needed from Oliver Kahn.
But on seven minutes Kahn was helpless as Torghelle made amends
leaving Christian Wörns flat-footed with a swift turn and firing a
fierce shot past Kahn. "Our concentration was poor and we got punished," said German team manager Rudi Völler. "But our future is by no means bleak and I am sure we will perform well in Portugal. You want to win every game but we have to think about next week."
Germany looked at their most dangerous whipping balls into the
penalty area - clearly the Achilles heel of Hungary - with a
Philipp Lahm centre missed by two onrushing German attackers. With 31 minutes on the clock Michael Ballack, a favourite at this stadium from his formative years at Kaiserslautern, fell to
the ground in search of a penalty but English referee Steve Benett
waved play on and it proved costly for the hosts.
Hungary launched a blitz counter attack and Torghelle controlled
a diagonal ball on his chest before dinking an effort over Kahn. Dutch strikers Roy Makaay, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Patrick Kluivert will be watching the wayward German marking with interest
as Holland meet Germany on June 15 in Oporto.
[bild2]Völler hauled off Kaiserslautern's Miroslav Klose and Andreas Hinkel in the interval replacing them with Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, making his debut, and Hannover striker Thomas Bradric.
After a stern talking to Germany came out with fire in their
bellies and almost halved their deficit when Bernd Schneider's
cross found Fredi Bobic but the marksman's extravagant flick went
narrowly wide of the goal. On the hour mark Hungary captain Zoltan Gera almost made it 3-0 but his outstreched boot failed to connect with a cross from the right. Schweinsteiger and Bradric both should have scored late on but Hungary held on for a famous win.
