Hungary booked a return to major tournament football for the first time in 30 years with a 3-1 aggregate victory over Norway in their Euro 2016 qualifying play-off.
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Norway dominated possession in the first half but, similarly to the first leg, rarely troubled Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, whose 101st match tied with Golden Team legend Jozsef Bozsik for most on the national team.
After he was an unused substitute in the first leg, Real Madrid youngster Martin Odegaard was brought into Norway’s starting line-up and Vegard Forren was fit to play after a throat infection.
Hungary were the first side to threaten on a tense evening, when skipper Balazs Dzsudzsak forced Norway keeper Orjan Nyland into a smart save in the opening minutes following a drive from range.
Hungary made an excellent start, taking a 14th-minute lead.
Then, a long ball down the left flank in the 14th minute from Tamas Kadar found striker Tamas Priskin to add another goal to the score.
The home side knew that a second goal on the night would all but end the tie as a contest and Gergo Lovrencsics should have done better when he headed off target after Laszlo Kleinheisler whipped in a threatening cross.
Hungary have to be favourites for qualification now and Bet365 make them narrow 13/8 favourites for the second leg itself, with Norway priced at 7/4.
“I have to congratulate my team, the association president Sandor Csanyi, and also Pal Dardai, who I took over from and he left this team for me”, said Hungary’s German coach Bernd Storck who took charge in July.
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Markus Henriksen pulled one back in the 87th but it was a mere consolation for Norway, which lost 1-0 in Oslo on Thursday.
