Hungary stung by Northern Ireland rally

• Niall McGinn and Kyle Lafferty combine for both the visitors' goals
• First competitive away win since September 2010 for Northern Ireland
• Tamás Priskin (75) header not enough to secure home victory
• Attila Pintér's first competitive match as Hungary coach ends badly
• Next games: Romania v Hungary, Northern Ireland v Faroe Islands (11 October)

Niall McGinn and Kyle Lafferty were Hungary's tormentors as Northern Ireland kicked off UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group F with a 2-1 victory in Budapest.

Tamás Priskin's 75th-minute header had put the home side in front, but Attila Pintér's first competitive match as Hungary coach was to end in defeat. First, Norwich City FC forward Lafferty broke free to cross from the left and set up McGinn for an easy tap-in on 81 minutes, then McGinn's ball from the right was bundled into the net by a combination of Lafferty and defender Vilmos Vanczák on 88 minutes.

Hungary had initially lined up in an 3-4-3 formation before quickly switching to 4-4-2 to release their wingers from defensive duties. Goalmouth action was at a premium, Balázs Dzsudzsák's early poke from Ádám Gyurcsó's cut-back being the closest the home team came before the break, while Corry Evans could only loft the ball over the bar once Jamie Ward had seen his shot blocked by Hungarian goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi.

Hungary's Gergely Rudolf squared for substitute Gergő Lovrencsics to fire goalward on the hour, yet Carroll tipped the ball around the left post. Winger Lovrencsics also saw a powerful drive held by Carroll before Rudolf curled the ball narrowly over as Hungary cranked up the pressure.

That pressure finally told when another substitute, Priskin, planted a close-range header past Carroll from Dzsudzsák's inswinging corner – but Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland turned the tables as the clock ticked down to post their first competitive away win since September 2010.