Austria go missing in Hungary defeat
AUSTRIA 0
HUNGARY 2
(Adam Szalai 63, Zoltan Stieber 87)
The tournament's dark horses arrived in France dripping with potential.
But Austria left the Matmut Atlantique looking like a side who believed too much of their own hype.
Facing Hungary on Wednesday morning (June 15, Singapore time) in their opening match of Group F, they were widely expected to begin their campaign with a bang.
Instead, they lost 2-0 to a team widely seen as one of the competition's weakest.
The fluidity that they oozed in their play during an unbeaten qualifying campaign - nine wins and one draw - went missing when it mattered.
In only their second European Championship Finals appearance, they suffered from a severe bout of stage fright.
Hungary were rewarded for their immaculate composure.
In the 63rd minute, Adam Szalai gave the underdogs the lead after some wonderful combination play with Balazs Dzsudzsak.
This was the test for Austria.
But when the pressure was cranked up, they lost their heads.
Soon after the opening goal, Aleksandar Dragovic was sent off for a second yellow, following a strong challenge on Tamas Kadar.
Against 10 men, Hungary seized the advantage, and delivered the knock-out punch.
In a swift counter-attack just before the end, Zoltan Stieber lifted the ball over the goalkeeper to complete a sweet 2-0 victory.
At the final whistle, Austria's players looked like they had just woken up from a nightmare.
The team ranked 10th in the world and fifth among the European nations had just lost to a side thought to be the tournament's whipping boys.
Austria must start playing at the level they are capable of - and not think a game is won before the ball is even kicked.
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