Hungary vs Bosnia & Herzegovina

Puskas Arena sets the stage for a high-stakes UEFA Nations League clash between Hungary and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Hungary’s first Group A3 outing was an anomaly of sorts as Germany trounced them 5-0 in Dusseldorf at the weekend. It was the first time after 18 matches in the Nations League that the Magyars have conceded more than two goals per game. That result has heightened the pressure on long-serving manager Marco Rossi following a disappointing Euro 2024, where the Hungarians lost two of their three group-stage fixtures via two-goal margins. Hungary must put their forgettable experience at the Euros behind them to uphold their League A status, especially after suffering four defeats in their last six matches at this level (W2). There’s no better place to start on this recovery mission than Budapest, with Hungary winning nine of their last ten home outings (D1).

On the other hand, Bosnia’s humiliating 5-2 defeat against the Netherlands at the beginning of their maiden League A campaign has deepened the crisis surrounding this underachieving team, extending their losing run to seven matches, friendlies included. The visitors ominously conceded multiple goals in all those seven losses, underscoring the significance of tightening things up at the back. Head coach Sergej Barbarez has proved incapable of shoring up Bosnia’s defensive woes since his appointment in April, but he’s starting to see attacking progress. After overseeing back-to-back scoring blanks in his first two games in charge, Barbarez witnessed Bosnia score twice in Eindhoven. But that was hardly a consolation for the Dragons, who have only won three of their 14 internationals since the end of the last Nations League campaign (L11).