In a change of pace, this Groundhop adventure took me back to the Hidegkuti Nandor Stadion for the first time since September 2019 when I took in an NBII match between MTK Budapest and Nyiregyhaza Spartacus; a game most memorable for then Nyiregyhaza goalkeeper Jova Levente scoring from the penalty spot.
My return to the Hidegkuti Nandor Stadion after a two-year hiatus was not, however, to see MTK Budapest but instead to watch the Hungary v Scotland Women’s World Cup Qualifier.
Hidegkuti Nandor Stadion
Hidegkuti Nandor is a legend of the Hungarian game and famed member of the Arany Csapat who played for MTK Budapest, in their numerous guises, between 1946 and 1958. Hidegkuti is best known for his starring role in Hungary’s famous 6-3 victory over England at Wembley Stadium, where he scored a hat-trick; the game is immortalised in mural on Rumback Sebestyn U. in Budapest’s Jewish Quarter.
Hidegkuti was a talent ahead of his time helping to pioneer the deep lying forward role – a role that the likes of Denis Bergkamp would later find much success in – with his innovative and creative play helping him to over 260 career goals along with countless assists for his team-mates at both club and national level.
Upon his death in 2012 MTK Hungaria, as MTK were then known, renamed their stadium in honour of the club hero and when the original stadium was torn down and rebuilt in 2016 the new stadium maintained the name of Hidegkuti Nandor.
The stadium has a capacity of just over 5,300, however, it has one weird peculiarity about it – behind both goals are large concrete walls giving the stadium the air of a prison yard at times.
Hungary v Scotland – Women’s World Cup Qualifier
If truth be told, I had no idea that this game was even taking place until around midday on the day of the game when a message from a friend in New Zealand alerted me to the fixture. Despite the short notice, the evening’s plans were quickly changed to take in the rare occasion of a Scotland match.
For this one I would be joined by my wife – whose native Hungarian language skills would come in extremely handy – and our young daughter; I was on my best behaviour.
By error, which later turned out to be quite fortuitous, we arrived at the stadium about an hour and half before kick-off; I hadn’t put two and two together that the kick-off time on the BBC Alba advert I’d been sent was the UK time and not the Budapest kick-off time. Sometimes I wonder about me.
Arriving at the stadium to buy our tickets we noticed that the Penztar offices were shut. Step up my wife who found out from the security guards that we had to register and buy tickets on the MLSZ website. For those unaware, selecting your seats and purchasing tickets on the MLSZ website via mobile is possibly the most frustrating experience known to man.
After approximately 45 minutes of seats being added to the basket, dropping out the basket, and being re-added to the basket, we were finally able to purchase and download our matchday tickets for the reasonable price of 1,000 HUF each – circa £3.
Perhaps the take away lessons here are to make sure of the kick-off time and way to purchase tickets in advance of rocking up at the stadium.
Once in inside and pre-match refreshments purchased we made our way to our seats, my daughter enthralled by the floodlights and site of girls out on the pitch where ‘men normally play’, and talking incessantly about everything she saw. It was great.
Anthem Time – The Hidegkuti Nandor fell silent for the National anthems. As Flower of Scotland echoed out over the tannoy system a lone Scottish voice, in amongst the couple of thousand Hungarians in attendance, began to belt out the Anthem with as much pride and gusto as he could manage; his daughter telling him with mild panic “Daddy, everyone’s looking at us”.
Yes, dear reader, that lone Scottish voice was mine.
From the off Scotland were dominant and maintained the upper hand for the majority of the game, the first in charge for new manager Pedro Martinez Losa.
After a bright opening the breakthrough came in the 17th minute through Erin Cuthbert who scored from the rebound of her own missed penalty.
As the first half wore on complacency and slack passing crept into the Scottish game and Hungary began to grow in confidence but without really threatening Lee Alexander in the Scotland goal.
The second half picked up where the first ended with Scotland still the better side but prone to being their own worst enemy with some poor decision making at vital times giving Hungary hope of a way back into the game.
That all changed with the introductions of Lana Clelland and Martha Thomas just after the hour. The subs made an immediate impact with Clelland going close on a couple of occasions and causing the home defence problems before Thomas headed in a second for Scotland with a quarter of an hour to go.
Thomas’ goal effectively killed the game as a contest and, try as they did, Hungary failed to carve open the Scotland backline and find a route back into the game. In fact, it was Scotland who could and should have scored again with Claire Emslie missing a guilt edged chance towards the end.
Post Match
It’s traditional in Hungary that the home side applaud the fans for coming out to see them, and at International level the men’s team are often serenaded by the Ultras giving a rousing post-match rendition of Himnusz, the Hungarian national anthem.
On Friday night, not only did the home players applaud the fans, but several of the Scotland team also came over to show appreciation of the (ahem) vocal minority of Scots in attendance. A small act that was greatly appreciated, especially by my daughter who had been blown away by the action on the pitch and the fact Scotland won, and hasn’t stopped about talking about the two players who ‘asked her’ for a picture; Lisa Robertson and Eartha Cummings, that small gesture meant the world to her (and me, if I’m being honest).
Next up for Scotland is a home game against the Faroe Islands on Tuesday – I’ll try to get the right kick-off time so I can tune in – and for Hungary, they host Spain, also on Tuesday and at the Hidegkuti Nandor Stadion.
Kevin McCluskie 
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