Budapest: Netherlands have recorded a 4-1 away win over Hungary in Tuesday`s 2014 World Cup qualifier at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium in Budapest.
Jeremain Lens broke the deadlock for Holland early in the game, only to see Balazs Dzsudzsak level the scoring again minutes later. Nevertheless, Bruno Martins Indi restored Oranje`s lead before the interval, while Lens doubled his personal tally after the break. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar then put the match to bed with an easy finish.
The away side started the match superbly and needed only three minutes to open the scoring. Wesley Sneijder found Luciano Narsingh down the right, who then played a quick one-two with Robin van Persie. The PSV winger reached Lens inside the area with a good cross, and the 24-year-old beat Hungary shot stopper Adam Bogdan with a placed header.
However, Hungary restored parity only four minutes later. Zoltan Gera went to the ground inside the box after a challenge from Jordy Clasie, and the referee quickly pointed to the spot. Dzsudzsak kept his calm from 12 yards and slotted home with ease.
Oranje took over the initiative again after the equaliser and deservedly went ahead once more in the 19th minute. Sneijder curled in a perfect free kick toward the far post, where the unmarked Martins Indi was waiting to head home his first international goal.
Lens should have made it 3-1 shortly after following some sloppy defending from Vilmos Vanczak and Vladimir Koman, but the PSV attacker’s weak attempt through the middle was an easy prey for Bogdan.
Nevertheless, the former AZ star did get his second of the game after the interval. Left-back Akos Elek intercepted Sneijder`s pass for Narsingh, but headed it straight into the path of Lens, whose left-footed volley proved to be too much for Bogdan.
The Hungarians started pushing forward after Holland`s third goal and came close to pegging one back in the 58th minute. Vanczak set up Tamas Priskin with a nice through-ball, but Maarten Stekelenburg showed his class with a fine save to deny the striker from close range.
Sneijder almost added his name to the score sheet as well with a powerful long-range strike, but the Inter playmaker`s shot came back off the crossbar, with Ricardo van Rhijn blasting the rebound high and wide.
A quickly taken free kick did extend Netherlands` lead shortly after as Lens set up substitute Huntelaar, who had no trouble finding the empty net. The Schalke man should have netted his second well into stoppage time, but aimed wide from inside the area.
Hungary have collected three points from two matches following the loss to the Dutch. They will be looking to return to winning ways next month when they travel to Estonia.
Netherlands sit top of their section with six points from two games. They resume match action at home against Andorra on October 12.
Goal.com
First Published: Wednesday, September 12, 2012, 09:05