Sturm break hearts in Budapest
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Article summary
Budapest Honvéd FC 1-2 SK Sturm Graz (agg: 1-2)
Goals fromDaniel Beichler and Mario Haas earned the Austrian visitors a place in the UEFA Cup second round.
Article body
Dramatic turn
Having drawn 0-0 in last week's first leg in Austria, Honvéd made a swift breakthrough on home soil, with Serbian central defender Mico Smiljanić finishing with a fine header from Attila Dobos's eighth-minute corner. With the tie tilted in their favour, Gábor Pölöskei's side looked competent enough, but the game was to take a dramatic turn in the 72nd minute.
Six-minute wonder
Andreas Hölzl emerged on the right and swept a dangerous ball into the area which Daniel Beichler crashed past Honvéd goalkeeper Balázs Robóczki from barely two metres. Six minutes later, Mario Haas was the recipient of another dangerous through ball, and finding himself unmarked, went one-on-one with Robóczki before lifting the ball neatly over the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 on the night.