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Hungary's dogged defensive display at the Puskás Aréna in their UEFA Euro 2020 Group F fixture against France earned them a huge point. They held the EURO 2016 finalists to a 1-1 draw.
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The draw delayed qualification for France and added a twist to the race for the top two spots in this edition's "Group of Death". France had more possession and more shots than the hosts but were unable to find the back of the net until the 66th minute, as Hungary displayed amazing solidarity at the back.
Attila Fiola was the goalscorer for Hungary as he beat Hugo Lloris at the near post to finish off a great move from the home team. The goal just before the break came as a shock to France who had been very dominant until that moment.
Kylian Mbappe was in the thick of things and created multiple chances for Karim Benzema and Griezmann. He provided a back-of-the-leg flick to Benzema, who sliced the ball away from the target.
Antoine Griezmann scored from Mbappe's deflected cross to restore parity in the 66th minute. Despite 15 attempts, only four were on target, which was a result of Hungary's tight defending.
As France struggle to find the back of the net in the European Championship this year, here we take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Antoine Griezmann scores in the third consecutive major competition for France
Antoine Griezmann has been one of the most consistent players for France in recent years. He proved his worth for the national team for the umpteenth time after scoring the equalizing goal for Les Bleus.
He was a central figure in their EURO 2016 and FIFA World Cup 2018 campaigns, ending as the top scorer for the national team in both competitions. It was only a matter of time before he opened his account in the ongoing tournament.
The Barcelona star also marked his 50th consecutive appearance for the national team. Griezmann ensured the landmark appearance was a memorable one as his second-half strike earned a valuable point for the 2018 World Champions.
#4 Brave Hungary frustrate France's formidable attack
Hungary earned an important point against France in the Group F fixture as they defended with all their might to deny the match-winning goal to the visitors despite Les Blues' best efforts.
Hungary opened the scoring in this game, with Attila Fiola scoring the goal against the run of play in first half injury time. Chances were few and far between for the hosts, who spent more time chasing the ball than with the ball, covering 106 km as a team.
Hungary defended superbly and ensured that the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Griezmann did not have enough time and space in the box to even take an extra touch. Peter Gulacsi also made three crucial saves in the game.
Hungary's determined performance against France was a great reward to the home fans who created a remarkable environment at the Puskás Aréna for this EURO fixture.
Also See: Top 5 national teams with the most fans in the world
#3 France fail to defeat Hungary away from home yet again
France played most of the game on the front foot but were missing the decisiveness in front of the goal, which probably was the main reason for the draw against Hungary.
They have struggled to obtain decisive results against the home side in their previous nine games on Hungarian soil. France have just one win to their name in their last nine trips to Hungary, with that win coming in 1990. When we consider only Euro fixtures, France are winless against the Magyars.
France will be satisfied, at least in knowing that they got to take home a point for the first time in the tournament against Hungary. They went to the top of the group standings, albeit temporarily.
#2 Hungary's draw puts the pressure on Germany
Hungary put in a solid performance against France tonight as they rallied on the back of massive support from the home fans. Hungary deserved a point against France and only conceded when a deflected pass found its way to Griezmann, who always brings his A-game to the visitors.
With both sides settling for a point, France have four points from two games and Hungary also earned their first point of the tournament. This makes Germany the only team in Group F without a point and they need to win both their games to keep their qualification hopes alive.
#1 France need to be more decisive in the final third
France were let down by their poor finishing against Hungary. The home team deserves credit for maintaining a tight ship at the back. It was only for the second game in a row that France had not been able to get the best of their wealth of attacking talent at their disposal.
Karim Benzema missed a clear-cut chance from Mbappe's cheeky back-heel pass. The Real Madrid star took the shot in his stride and, rather than getting his foot behind it, sliced it away from the target.
Les Bleus had only one shot on target in the first half and also hit the woodwork in the second half. Griezmann's goal also did not come from open play, as it was Lloris' quick thinking and long ball deep into the Hungary half which eventually led to the goal after a couple of touches.
France have one of the strongest squads at the Euros and have some proven goalscorers in their ranks, it would be a shame if they do not enjoy a prolific campaign going forward.
Also See: The 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in the world
